There's Always a Price
by Earendil Eldar
Summary: Jack didn't head up to the cold-fusion cruiser alone after CoE - he took something very valuable, something he would do anything in his power to get back. With help from some familiar Doctors, he's able to make things right again. But, there's always a price... (Will be multi-chapter).
1. Chapter 1

Jack came rushing back to life with a gasping scream and panicked momentarily as he realized he was behind the controls of a ship hurtling through space. Before he could get his bearings, the ship piloted itself into a bay in a cold-fusion cruiser. The hatch opened and Jack stumbled out.

Looking around him, he started to remember what was going on. It was the shockwave from an exploding planet that had killed him, though it had left his ship intact. There was something heavy in the pocket of his greatcoat. A sealed test tube filled with a bluish liquid.

Jack broke into a run as mechanics came to secure the small ship. The end of the corridor from the ship bays opened to a control room.

"Martha!" Jack shouted, "I've got it. Come on!"

"What did you do to get it?" asked a frowning Doctor in a bow tie.

Jack's face hardened. "Only what they deserved," he said darkly.

"You're better than that, Jack," the Doctor said quietly.

"Not anymore," Jack muttered. He and Martha hurried on to the cruiser's laboratory where Jack handed her the tube. "Is it viable?" he asked impatiently.

"I don't know yet, Jack. You've only just handed it to me," Martha pointed out gently. "Let me check this and get it into a syringe. And then we can prep for the procedure, ok?"

Jack took a deep breath. "I know, Martha. It's just that… I'll do anything…."

"I know that, Jack. Just try to stay calm, alright? Take a walk, I'll get you as soon as we're ready, I promise."

Jack sighed and nodded. There wasn't much he could do with the technical side of things anyway. He tried to tell himself not to pace the corridors like an expectant father, but it was hard to even think of going out of earshot.

He wasn't surprised when the first person to cross his path was the Doctor. Everybody else onboard the cruiser was sensible enough to give the Captain a wide berth.

"So… the _whole_ planet, Jack?" the Doctor asked casually.

"I did what I had to do. If it was something terrible… well, what the hell else is new?"

"I thought that was the sort of thing you tried to avoid."

"My world for theirs, Doctor. Seems fair enough. Especially considering it was trying to save one planet that caused all this."

The Doctor shook his head slowly, sympathy in his eyes.

Jack glared. "You don't understand this."

"Jack," Martha called, looking around the corner with a nod.

Jack turned and ran back toward the lab. The Doctor just gave Martha an unhappy look.

"Jack, you're really sure about this?" Martha asked, catching him up after a moment.

"Yes. Absolutely. I have to try."

"Alright. Everything is ready."

"Martha… will it…?" Jack made a vague gesture to which Martha could only reply:

"It should be okay. I don't see any potential complications."

As Martha prepared the two injections needed, Jack took up a place beside the narrow bed and stroked the stiff hair of the man who was still so, _so_ cold.

"It will probably take a little while to get things going, just with the cryonics...," Martha said.

"I can wait forever if I have to," Jack said.

Martha administered the first injection and waited for the machines to begin picking up signs of life before administrating the one Jack brought back.

Jack sat, hoping frantically that it worked. There was only the one chance. The monitors indicated a pulse, respiration, and resumed brain activity, but Jack wouldn't relax until he knew everything was ok, the way it was supposed to be again.

At some point, Jack fell asleep at the bedside. When he woke up there was a hand loosely holding his arm. Not just touching, Jack registered definitely… _holding_. And the touch was warm. Jack was wide awake instantly.

"Ianto?" he called in a strained voice. "Please tell me you're there…."

Ianto opened his eyes just a little and let out a breath that sounded enough like "here" for Jack.

"It worked," Jack whispered on a sob he couldn't hold back, "thank god it worked."

"Jack…?"

"I'm right here," Jack promised, stroking Ianto's cheek.

"Why you crying?" Ianto whispered.

"I'm happy," Jack said, moving closer and keeping a tight hold on Ianto's hand. "You're alright again."

"Don't remember what happened…."

"We don't have to talk about it now. You need to rest for a while. I won't leave, I promise."

"Jack? I love you."

"I love you, too, Yan," Jack whispered, as steadily as he could at that moment. It was what he'd been aching to say to Ianto for so long, the words that never seemed enough, or that he worried were too much, the words he _needed_ to say but _couldn't_ in those moments at Whitehall. He doubted Ianto even noticed it now. _Later_, Jack told himself, _when he's better_.


	2. Chapter 2

Ianto slept for another 10 hours after that. It was probably the deepest natural sleep he'd had since his first contact with Torchwood, Jack thought. It all reminded Jack so clearly of everything his Ianto had been through in their time together on earth. And it reminded Jack of why he hadn't wanted to be involved with Torchwood in the first place – it was not a healthy occupation, a fact brought home to him countless times over the century. And no matter how he'd tried to change things, the Torchwood Curse could not truly be lifted. Nobody ever left Torchwood unscathed. That was over now, Jack was adamant. He wouldn't lose anyone else to it again.

Jack didn't budge from Ianto's bedside. A couple times he drifted off holding Ianto's hand and repeating his promise not to leave. About an hour after Martha gave the nutrient infusion, Ianto started to wake up again. He was breathing deeper and his heart rate was stronger again.

Eventually Ianto opened his eyes, clearer than they had been when he'd first woken up. "Hi," he said quietly.

Jack's face broke into a smile. "Hi."

Ianto just smiled back for a moment. He wasn't sure what he'd been through, but he was glad to know Jack was there at the end of it, whatever it was. "Where are we?" he asked after a while.

"You're sure you want to know?" Jack asked. "It might be a little bit of a shock. Why don't we wait a bit -"

"Jack," Ianto said, squeezing his hand. "If you told me we were in the Galapagos I wouldn't care."

"We're not in Galapagos," Jack said honestly.

"But we're not in Cardiff either," Ianto said, almost as if he had a sense of when he was home and not. "I'm still a little blank on the last thing I remember. Weren't we in London for something? Hiding out… why the hell would we _hide_ in London? Well, lost in a crowd, I suppose…."

"Ianto… we're not in London. We're on board CFC 952801, the Seventh Arrow."

"The only CFC I know of off-hand is chlorofluorocarbon."

"Cold-fusion Cruiser. A bit past the orbit of Pluto."

Ianto just looked at Jack for a minute. "Alright. When you're done with the wind-up."

"It's not. It's a long story, Yan. I brought you here to get you better. There was no other way I could see…."

"I'm not _really_ on board a spaceship, Jack. The other one's got bells on. Don't get excited by that…."

"Does that look like anything you've ever seen out there?" Jack said, gesturing to the window that looked out onto nothing but black space and a distant star-field.

Ianto stared out the window for a few moments, then pushed himself upright to get out of bed.

"Yan, wait, you're not going to be steady yet…."

"Then steady me," he said, trying to stand up and realizing Jack was right. He let Jack hold him up and walk him over to the window. Ianto tentatively pressed a hand against the cold glass.

"It's safe. This ship is state-of-the-art. For its time, I mean. Way ahead of present time."

"We're in space…," Ianto breathed after a few minutes.

"That light?" Jack pointed at a bright star. "Sol."

"That's… the sun? That gave me that terrible burn the summer when I was 10? That rises in my bedroom window and sets in the dining room window every day?"

Jack just nodded.

"Makes this all very real, doesn't it?"

"Incredibly real."

Ianto moved back to lie down on the bed with Jack's help. After a minute he said, "Right. So… I'm on a spaceship. Extremely knackered, don't really know why. You brought me here to get better. Time to fill in the blanks. Something happened in London?" Ianto saw the pain in Jack's eyes and knew this wouldn't be good. The amount of time it was taking Jack to respond wasn't making Ianto feel any better about it.

"You died," Jack said simply.

That wasn't at all what Ianto was expecting. "That would mean I'm dead now?"

"No, you're alive, very much," Jack said quickly.

"I know that's normal for you, Jack, but it really doesn't work that way for the rest of us. Remember what happened to Owen, and Suzie?"

"No glove this time. You're really, truly alive. See?" Jack pointed at the monitors. "Heartbeat and all."

"I died. And now I'm alive again."

"Yes."

"How?"

"We reversed the cryonics and administered the antidote."

"Antidote for what? What killed me? I can't believe I'm actually asking that question…."

"The 456 released a… poison, a virus. We couldn't get out, it killed us both."

"So… I was frozen, standard procedure, I get that. And… you found a cure and brought me back?"

"That's basically it." Jack decided he could leave the part about blowing up a planet to get that cure.

"Why?" Ianto asked simply.

"Why'd I bring you back?" Jack thought that would be obvious.

"What do you need?" Ianto asked. "I mean, really, that's generally why we do it, isn't it? Or, you, I suppose, now. Not me. You usually need something, some information, before you let me… go off again."

"No, Yan… no, that's not it. What do I need…? Ianto, I need _you_. I couldn't… it wasn't…. I couldn't let you go yet. I couldn't…."

"Jack…," Ianto said, pulling him into a hug, unable to stand the pain in Jack's eyes anymore.

"Ianto… when you woke up earlier," Jack said, pulling back just enough, "do you remember what you said?"

Ianto shrugged.

"You told me you love me. Just like you did right before you died."

Ianto's eyes had filled to match Jack's and it was a struggle to keep the tears from slipping. "I also asked you not to forget me. Is this the only way you could do that?" he tried teasing, but the roughness of his voice gave him away.

Jack took Ianto's face in his hands. "I'm not going to forget you, not ever. I love you, Ianto Jones, more than I've ever loved anyone. And you have to know that's a lot for me to say."

"I know," Ianto whispered, pulling Jack into a desperate kiss.

"You're the one, Yan," Jack said, burying his face in Ianto's neck. "I want you to know that. You changed my life in a way nothing else ever has."

"How long did you try?" Ianto asked quietly, knowing Jack would understand what he meant.

"Months," Jack said. "I went everywhere, I tried everything. Nothing helped. I realized couldn't keep going when I started hoping for those fragments of death, that just once I'd see you…."

Ianto shook his head quickly. "Don't do that, Jack. Don't ever do that. I don't know if you ever knew how much your deaths hurt me. I hated seeing you go through that, and it scared me every time that one might finally take."

"Yeah, I knew. But you were always there when I came back. That made it a lot easier."

"I'm glad it did, but there's a strangely dressed man at the door, Jack…."


	3. Chapter 3

"That'll be the Doctor," Jack said. "He doesn't always have the best bedside manner in the universe."

"Oh. That's where you got it?"

"Different bedside," Jack smirked, looking over at the Doctor.

"Oh, don't mind me, gentlemen," the Doctor said, stepping into the room. "Just out for a walk. You must be Mr. Jones. I think we spoke once, some while ago."

Ianto offered his hand. "Not that I recall," Ianto apologized. "You're not the Doctor who treated me, then?"

"Different Doctor. Your doctor's just back from her honeymoon and I'm not sure she'd have hopped up here for just anyone."

"Martha?"

"I couldn't trust anybody else," Jack said. "Not with you."

"He has really big trust issues, have you ever noticed that?" the Doctor said.

Jack huffed but Ianto said, "Have I ever! There have been times when he -"

"I'm here," Jack protested. "Why do people always do that?"

"Because it's a real pleasure to meet someone else who has had the Jack Harkness Experience and survived. Or re-survived, or… something," Ianto said.

"Yeah, well, some people have had a _fuller_ and more pleasurable experience than others," Jack grumbled.

Ianto grinned. "You sound like an old fags advert." Then he laughed. "Never mind the double-entendre."

Jack suddenly didn't mind if Ianto and the Doctor discussed the relative merits of Jack Harkness. Ianto was smiling and laughing, a rare enough treat when he was alive – the first time – but a sure sign that everything was alright again now.

"Well, maybe I'll get on with that walk I was taking," the Doctor decided, looking at Jack. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Jones."

"And you, Doctor," Ianto said.

Jack tapped at his wrist strap and the doors closed immediately behind the Doctor.

"51st century equivalent of slamming the door behind someone, isn't that?" Ianto asked.

"I just don't want to be bothered, for a while," Jack said. "Let me make this place a little more comfortable, ok?" Jack typed something into the strap and did a quick scan of the room. Ianto was mildly amazed as the décor suddenly went early 20th-century plush. "Nice… or too stuffy?"

"Lovely. I didn't know you had a decorator thingy in that."

"I still don't know half of what he put into this. I think it's because I made fun of his screwdriver way back when we first met."

"Is that a sexual euphemism or is he just a lousy bartender?"

Jack laughed. "Neither. It's a sonic… never mind. Let's sit."

"Yeah. Give me a hand here?"

"You should be fine."

"Jack, five minutes ago I couldn't stand on my own."

Jack grinned. "You know how they say everything's bigger in Texas? _Total_ lie, by the way. Well, everything's faster in a spaceship. Not a lie."

"So… it only takes 15 seconds up here?" Ianto teased, pushing himself out of bed and feeling fine.

"Hey! I have never, in any of my lives, experienced a premature -"

"Jack… if you're going to point that finger at me, you'd better be prepared to use it."

"Later."

"Alright. Do I have any alternate wardrobe choices at the moment? You'd think a futuristic spaceship would have come up with something better than these awful gowns."

Jack shook his head. "Medical community… it's a power thing with them. They get off on it. I'll see what I can do about getting you something nice to wear, but how's comfort for now?" Jack asked, producing a pair of yoga bottoms and a fitted jumper.

"This is payback for you getting stuck in trackies for days, isn't it? I _could_ have left you naked, you know."

"Oh, you'd have enjoyed that! I've just always wanted to see your ass in yoga pants," Jack grinned.

"I have to admit this is comfortable," Ianto said grudgingly. "Guess it's kind of a day off anyway."

"Yeah, definitely," Jack said, pulling Ianto over to the couch so they could curl up together.

"Gonna take me a while to get my head around this… having been dead thing. Just what Torchwood wants, isn't it? More back from the dead employees."

"Ianto… as far as I'm concerned, no more Torchwood, for either of us. I can't go through that anymore. And I can't put anyone else through it again either."

"Then what are we doing, Jack? Is there anything else out there that would accept us… I mean, with all we know, and all you are."

"I kinda thought maybe we could retire. Not like we need an income. We could just… find a nice old place in the country, maybe. I like the idea of that, cuddling up with tea on a quiet, rainy afternoon, just us. A lilac tree in the garden just outside…."

"You really love the rain, don't you? No wonder you decided to hang out in Blighty."

"I've never been any place else that has the kind of rain Earth has."

"What, the kind that keeps _you_ from getting pregnant?" Ianto chuckled.

"Hey, that's a huge plus as far as I'm concerned."

"Yeah, me too."

Jack and Ianto were quiet for a while, just holding one another on the sofa in a tastefully decorated room on a cold-fusion cruiser somewhere at the edge of the solar system. Ianto could almost hear the raindrops Jack talked about until he realized that the sound was coming from the white-noise machine in Jack's strap.

"I love you, Ianto," Jack said quietly after a while. "I'm so sorry I never told you. I wanted to about a dozen times a day, but I was always so scared you didn't want to hear that yet."

"I wasn't always very encouraging, was I? It's just that it was so new to me, and I've never been really comfortable with that whole displaying affection…."

Jack smiled. "Hey, you're a Brit, not your fault."

"Not like you to worry about saying something, either, though."

"Everything about this has been different for me. But I'm going to say it every time I think it now, I promise. You'll get sick of hearing me."

"Not too likely. I'd be pretty lonely in that big, old country place if I did."

"Yeah," Jack smiled, leaning in to kiss Ianto.

"I don't think we ever talked like this before, did we? Not even about the whole… relationship thing. Just… like this."

"Losing you changed something in me, Yan. I guess it's that 'don't know what you have until you lose it' bit."

"No big deal, I'm here now."

"Yeah, and I want it to stay that way for a long time."

"I'm not like you, though, am I? That was a one-shot deal."

"No, you aren't. That's not something I'd do to you, no matter what it did to me. So you're just going to have to be damn careful."

Jack was quiet for a while before deciding that he needed to open up about a lot more than just how he felt. He owed Ianto his complete honesty and knew he couldn't hide things from him if they were going to make a real go of it.

"Actually, Yan… there's some things I need to talk to you about. I don't really know how you're going to react, I just know you deserve the truth, about everything."

Ianto could tell there had been something bothering Jack. He took Jack's hand and stroked his thumb over Jack's knuckles.

Jack looked at him for a moment. His calm, accepting Ianto. Was it any wonder he'd fallen so much harder than ever before?

"To get that cure?" Jack said quietly, leaning forward and a bit away from Ianto. "I blew up their home planet… the 456. I could have done it without that level of destruction. But I didn't care. They deserved it, as far as I was concerned. Not just for killing you, but that was the biggest part of it in my mind at the moment. I've never done something like that for revenge."

Ianto pulled Jack back toward him and into his arms. He didn't say a word.

"And Stephen," Jack whispered again after a minute. "Oh, Yan… I _can't_ tell you…."

Ianto's heart sank. Something had happened to Jack's grandson and Ianto had never heard that kind of pain in Jack's voice. "Jack… you can tell me. Get it out, Jack."

Jack buried his face against Ianto's shoulder and shook his head. "I did it. I knew what would happen and I _still_ did it. I knew Alice was there…."

"Did what, Jack?" Ianto asked quietly with no accusation in his voice.

"What happened to Clem," Jack whispered. "I killed my grandson the same way they killed him."

Ianto held Jack tighter. "Did it work?" he asked.

Jack nodded.

"I'm so sorry you had to do that, Jack," Ianto whispered, stroking his back. "So sorry."

Neither of them said anything for a long time and at some point Ianto realized that futury-space materials were waterproof as none of Jack's tears were soaking through his jumper. After a long while, Jack whispered, "No one I've ever known would have held me after hearing that. I'll never find another you, not if I live another 5 billion years."

"It's ok, Jack. I don't always know why… I just know it is."


	4. Chapter 4

Eventually Jack fell asleep in Ianto's lap. Ianto decided he needed the sleep and carefully moved him to a more comfortable position, tucking the blanket from the bed around him. So many times Jack had taken care of him when he was hurt or badly shaken; Ianto didn't know if he could ever be enough to repay Jack this time, but he'd try no matter what.

After a while, Ianto decided they needed some tea when Jack woke up. He had no idea where to find the kitchen… or galley, he supposed, on this ship, and he didn't want to go wandering around a spaceship on his own. There was a keypad by the door with four buttons. Ianto hoped none of them was an airlock or anything and tried the first one.

The door opened.

'Obvious enough,' Ianto thought and pressed the second one.

The door closed.

He tried the third button. A voice responded through a speaker in the keypad, "Good afternoon, Captain Harkness. What can we do for you?"

"Um… yeah, thanks. Actually, the Captain's asleep at the moment, this is Ianto Jones. I was just wondering if we could get some tea. I'd do it myself but I don't know where the galley is, or anything really."

"Straight away, Mr. Jones. Sandwiches and pastries, as well?"

"Might not be a bad idea. Thanks."

"What sort of tea should we send, sir?"

Ianto had to wonder what kind of selection there would be on a time-traveling spaceship and decided to give it a try. "Assam?"

"For yourself as well as the Captain?"

"Actually, I think I'd prefer Earl Grey, if you've got it."

"Naturally, sir. Be up in a moment. Do ring if there's anything else."

'Well,' Ianto thought, 'not a bad way to travel after all.'

"Yan?"

"Right here," Ianto said, hurrying over to Jack. "Hey."

"Hey," Jack said, reaching for Ianto's hand. "Thank you."

"Shh. I had tea sent up. Thought you could do with that."

"I don't know how I deserve you."

"Maybe you just do."

"Love you."

Ianto smiled. "You said I'd get sick of that. Haven't yet though. Budge up," Ianto said, tugging at the pillow under Jack's head so he could sit. Jack shifted up to let Ianto in and rested his head on the arm of the sofa.

"You really do look good casual," Jack said.

"Yeah, and somehow you manage to make casual look smart."

Jack grinned. "Gotta blame the pheromones."

"It's more than that. It's just you. You're more special than just those pheromones."

Jack reached up to stroke Ianto's face just as there was a knock at the door.

"Everything _is_ faster in space," Ianto mumbled, nudging Jack's shoulder to get up.

"I got it," Jack said, flipping open his strap.

"Oh… right."

"Hey… nobody cares up here," Jack promised. He waited as the server poured – 'Assam for the Captain and Earl Grey for Mr. Jones.'

"Low tea with my boyfriend on a spaceship… never would have imagined this one," Ianto said. "_And_ after having been dead for months. They even do cucumber sandwiches up here?"

"Exactly what you'd get at Savoy," Jack smiled.

"Took Lisa for that once, for her birthday," Ianto said.

"I'm sorry," Jack said after a moment.

Ianto took a breath and shook his head. "It's alright, Jack. We've both lost a lot, but for now there are some things we haven't lost."

Jack pulled Ianto to him for a kiss full of gratitude before sitting up and reaching for his reproduction Royal Albert cup.

"Of course, you probably had a nice tea like this all the time back in the day."

"Not really. Was never my thing. Though, there was one time in '41 – that was at the Savoy. I helped a girl out of a jam and she insisted on taking a soldier to tea."

"What about rationing?"

"Not if you had her kind of money."

Ianto shook his head.

"I didn't sleep with her, if that's what you're thinking. She was disappointed about that, I think. I had too much going on and she was too high profile. Let's just say she was closely connected to _W.E._"

Jack was quiet for a minute as he sipped his tea. "I wish you'd known me back then," he said wistfully. "I was a lot more fun, before I ended up immortal. Carefree… I'd have taken you dancing on an invisible warship in front of Big Ben, gone for a three-moon-lit walk on Escher A3…. All kinds of crazy adventures. I would have told you how I felt sooner, too."

"And you think I'm closeted now. Imagine me in '41."

"Yeah. But you'd have loved the rest of it. Everything was a bit more…," Jack laughed softly, "well… fussy."

Ianto rolled his eyes. "Thank you."

"I mean that affectionately. You're perfect to me."

"I would have liked it, though," Ianto said, trying to ignore his blush. "Always felt sort of… born too late."

"I know the feeling," Jack said. "Hey, why not?" Jack flipped open his wrist strap and pressed a few buttons. Music started playing and Jack stood up, reaching for Ianto's hand. "Come on."

Ianto smiled and stepped into Jack's arms and let him lead a slow dance to "Stardust." Jack's 'playlist' kept going with "Long Ago and Far Away," "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," and "Unforgettable" before Ianto pointed out their tea had gone cold. Naturally, Jack's strap solved that problem as well.

A while later, the crew member who came to collect the tea cart after Ianto rang offered an invitation to the two of them to the monthly crew party that night.

Jack started to decline, figuring Ianto would probably want some quiet time.

"Just a tick," Ianto said. "Maybe I'd like to see what a party on a cold-fusion cruiser looks like."

"Alright…," Jack said, a little surprised that Ianto was taking to this so well. "Fair warning, it's loud. And _no_ hyper-vodka. Seriously, that's one thing you definitely aren't ready for."


	5. Chapter 5

"You didn't lie about _loud_," Ianto said as he and Jack walked into the crew party on the third level. "What you didn't mention was the diversity…." Ianto tried not to stare at all the various aliens in the club room. It wasn't like he hadn't encountered a number of them already, just that it was usually in less convivial circumstances.

"Is that a problem?" Jack asked.

"No, of course not. Like a UN in here, isn't it?"

"Not remotely. Everyone here are friends and actually communicate."

"Jack!"

"Martha Jones, all your drinks are on me tonight," Jack said with a huge grin.

"Thanks, but I'm not getting _that_ pissed. Didn't think you'd be here. How you feeling, Ianto?"

"Surprisingly fine, thanks. I take it by his reaction that you're the one who… um, well, patched me up."

"Yeah, patched you up. Does he understate everything?"

"Everything, Martha."

"So… what he said about you being 'innovative' in bed…?"

Jack grinned. "Oh, _total_ understatement!"

Ianto cleared his throat audibly. "I'm told I'm not allowed hyper-vodka. Can I get un-hyper-gin?"

"Yeah, trust me, you don't want to try the hyper-vodka just yet," Martha agreed.

"Gin and tonic?" Jack asked.

"That would be lovely, thank you. Is it alright with the doctor?"

"Should be fine," Martha said. "Cosmo for me, Jack."

"Hyper?"

"Not tonight," Martha said. "So, you're really feeling alright, Ianto?" she asked as Jack headed to the bar.

"It probably hasn't hit me yet. Dead for months, on a spaceship… either I'm in for a real crash or I've just gotten totally au fait with all this madness."

"That does tend to happen after a while."

"Who was the Doctor that stopped by earlier, again? I never properly met him, just through the computer when we were sorting the whole 'moved planet' thing, but the one I met today doesn't look at all like that."

"No, same Doctor, different look. They do that, Time Lords. Imagine if Jack looked totally different every time he came back to life."

"I'd rather not."

"No wonder," Martha grinned. "I'd say he's really mad about you, but that doesn't begin to cover it. People say things like 'he'd move mountains' but with him… yeah, he really would, Ianto."

"I know it. I'll never know what's special about me, but I'm glad I am, whatever it is."

"Alright, cosmo for the lady, G&T for the gents," Jack said, returning with drinks.

"Dry, well done," Ianto commented.

"I'm told there's no other kind," Jack grinned, proud that he knew Ianto's drinking preferences perfectly.

"Thanks, Jack," Martha said. "Catch up with you guys later, yeah?" she said, going to talk with a Raxicoricofallapatorian who was, apparently, also a doctor.

After a moment Ianto realized Jack's hand was resting on his shoulder like it so often had been 'at home.' Ianto almost always hesitated to return the gesture after taking a moment to assess the circumstance. It was one thing in the Hub, but quite another out on a 'date.' That night, Ianto decided to stop overthinking for once and settled his arm around Jack's waist.

Jack actually gave him a questioning look when he did, wondering if something was wrong. Ianto just smiled back and sipped his drink.

Across the room a young soldier smiled to them and raised his own glass with a nod. Jack smiled and nodded back.

"Someone you know?" Ianto asked.

"Kind of," Jack said. "First time I was up here… I was trying to forget."

"Oh."

"That was when I decided I had to get you back," Jack said.

"The only one who would do?" Ianto teased, trying again to ignore the lump of emotion forming in his chest. They were meant to be at a party, not a bloody funeral. Ianto couldn't help briefly wondering what his funeral was like… then he decided to put that out of his mind.

"For me," Jack said seriously, pulling Ianto in for a kiss.

Ianto hesitated for split second before grabbing Jack and reminding him he was very much alive and _not_ made of glass. Ianto didn't even mind the wolf-whistles (and various other vocalizations of approval) from about half the crowd.

"We are _not_ staying for this whole party," Jack said emphatically.

"Fine by me," Ianto agreed. "Well, once I've thoroughly experienced all this, anyway. Could do with another of these."

"Sure thing," Jack said, heading back to the bar.

"Got him wrapped 'round your little finger, you have," Martha said, sidling up. "Never thought I'd see that."

"Not intentional," Ianto said.

"Of course not, it never is."

"One question… hyper-vodka is out, but what about other… um, forms of entertainment?"

"Cleared for take-off," Martha said, patting Ianto's shoulder.

"Right. Good. Thanks."

"What did you say to make him blush?" Jack accused, returning with drinks. "Cosmo, ma'am."

"Just wished him a good night," Martha said sweetly, winking at Ianto.

Jack sighed. "I'm gonna have to get you out of here," he said to Ianto. "You're a hot item."

"I'm going to insist on a 21st century dance first," Ianto said.

"I'm not sure I'd believe seeing Ianto Jones dance to Pitbull," Martha said.

"Actually, that would perfect 'cause I took up salsa for a while in London."

"I didn't know that," Jack said.

"You didn't ask," Ianto smirked.

"Gotta remember to ask more questions," Jack said.


	6. Chapter 6

"Oh god, Yan…," Jack breathed. Ianto had practically torn the clothes off him the minute they got back to Jack's cabin. The last time Ianto had been that assertive had been… a long time ago. "Yan, come on," he whispered, tugging Ianto down to the bed with him.

"Jack…," Ianto murmured, moving them together into position. "Jack, I don't know how you do it, drive me so mad…."

"Feeling's mutual," Jack said, hanging onto Ianto's hips.

Ianto blessed 51st century biology as he hooked an arm around Jack's shoulder for leverage and went in for a long, deep kiss. As he looked down at Jack, expecting to look into Jack's lust-darkened eyes, Ianto was stunned for a moment to see a tear slip from Jack's eye.

"Jack…," Ianto whispered.

"Don't you dare stop."

"But you're -"

"Didn't think I'd ever have this again. Don't. Stop," Jack insisted, craning up to grasp Ianto in a desperate kiss.

Ianto obliged Jack's request but decided to slow things down. Jack was right, they might never have… and Ianto wanted to show Jack what it meant to him, what _Jack_ meant to him.

Afterward they stayed holding one another tight for a long while. Jack just wouldn't let go and Ianto wouldn't have let him if he'd wanted to.

"Yan…," Jack whispered.

"Love you, too," Ianto replied.

They spent a while lying quietly together, pretending it was a rainy night on earth, courtesy of Jack's wrist strap on the nightstand.

"There's one thing I never understood," Jack said, his fingers lazily stroking Ianto's back.

"There are a billion things I've never understood. I guess you're entitled to one," Ianto said, his hand on Jack's chest. "But if I can clear it up for you, I'd be happy to do so."

Jack shook his head. "Never change, Ianto. I never understood how someone so brilliant managed to hide it so well, and why. I told you that I checked your records when we met. Yan, you've got one of the quickest minds of anyone I've ever met. Quick and huge, you devour information. So what was up when you were at school?"

"I didn't think I was smart at all," Ianto said with a short laugh. "I thought I was really thick back then. That was the prevailing opinion, actually. I couldn't pay attention in classes, it was absolute murder to sit there all day. Then I wasted so much time out of class reading about everything _but_ school stuff. I labeled myself a daydreamer just like everybody else did. Made sense. I hated revising even more than I hated sitting in class, it was my time and I didn't want anything to do with homework. I spent more time looking for Messier objects than I did finding square roots."

"There's a club for those of us who have _visited_ all the M-objects, not just observed them," Jack mused. "You were bored, weren't you?"

"To tears. Sometimes literally. I would get so frustrated with myself; I didn't understand how I could 'get' concepts of astrophysics but chemistry and algebra made me want to dig my eyes out with a rusty spoon. Thing is, I did really well in the lower grades. So when I started having trouble in high school, I thought I'd hit my peak and quit caring about making good marks. It was really disappointing to my family."

"Yeah, I know what that's like. You know what happened when I was kid. Later, though… they'd hoped I'd become a cleric."

Ianto gave Jack a questioning look.

"Yeah, you can imagine me doing well with that, right? I should clarify, that was a quasi-religious thing by then, more like 70/30 military. Actually… they were just about the only people on Boeshane who weren't made up about me going to the Time Agency."

Ianto sighed. "Families are difficult sometimes."

"That's why it means so much to find someone who accepts."

"And understands."

"Whatever was it that drew you into Torchwood, anyway?" Jack asked, his fingertips playing through Ianto's hair.

"Images from Hubble. And I just stopped for a minute thinking… you know, every one of those stars, in every one of those galaxies… could have a habitable planet. And all that sci-fi and theoretical astrophysics I used to think about in school… suddenly I didn't think it was just pissing about anymore. Somehow I just was convinced that it was all possible. And here we are, all this time later… I wasn't so daft at all in the end."

"Quite the contrary. It's everyone else that hasn't caught up to you yet. Oh, Yan… I could take you there…. Merging galaxies, nebulae, globular clusters… and that's just what one little telescope could see, and they don't even look like that anymore, most of those images are millions of years old. What's _really_ out there… so much more, Yan. More than all the problem aliens we dealt with, more than shifting planets, more than clinging to a box through trillions of years in a vortex."

"I completely missed the fun on the 'moved earth' one, by the way, because _somebody_ decided I was better stuck in a timelock."

"I wasn't letting Daleks near you, or into the Hub. And without you there, Earth wouldn't have made it back. But I was under the impression that the earth _always_ moves when you're with me," Jack smirked.

"That's when there's an earth under me to move…."

"Touché."

"We should have talked like this every day," Ianto said, curling in against Jack.

"We should have. But we will. I promise."

"We will," Ianto agreed.

…

"Morning, handsome."

"Mmm."

"Want me to have breakfast sent down?"

Ianto nodded.

"Ok," Jack said, kissing the back of Ianto's neck.

"Jack… sent from where?" Ianto mumbled. "The café by the Plass doesn't do delivery, do they?"

Jack chuckled. "Not to where we are. Remember any of yesterday?"

Ianto turned over quickly, staring at Jack. "Wait… that wasn't a wild dream?"

Jack shook his head. "Nope. On-board CFC 952801."

"Bloody hell," Ianto whispered.

"Are you ok?" Jack asked carefully.

"If we're in space, why is the morning sun outside that window?"

"Perception shade," Jack said, tapping at his wrist strap to remove the shade. "Kind of helps having terrestrial sunlight patterns, especially in the morning."

"Right. This should probably be freaking me out, a lot. It's definitely not normal. But if there's anyone I'd want with me in outer space, it's you."

"Plus the Doctor's on-board. Which could be the opposite of comforting if you know his propensity for attracting trouble. But he's got a pretty good track record on getting out of it too."

"He seemed like a bit of a nutter, to be honest. But I also recall him being a rather manic sort of brilliant about getting the planet back where it belonged."

"You, on the other hand, I recall being a calm sort of brilliant about that. Any wonder I fell for you?"

"And you can't even blame my pheromones. I had to be brilliant all on my own."

"Are you implying that I'm all pheromone and no substance?" Jack growled, locking his arms around Ianto's waist.

"Take it as you will. It is a bit of a cheat, though. If this were golf, I'd get a significant handicap going up against you."

"Trust me, you have the advantage. My head just doesn't work the same where you're concerned. That's got to do something to level the pitch."

"Think Martha said something last night about having you wrapped 'round my finger…."

Jack groaned and buried his face in Ianto's neck. "That's it, then. It's official. I'm done for."

"What was it you said about breakfast?"

"Yeah, yeah. Wrapped around your finger…," Jack muttered, shaking his head. He knew it was completely true. "Can show you around the ship after breakfast, if you want," Jack offered.

"Yeah, brilliant. Have never toured a… cold-fusion cruiser before."


	7. Chapter 7

"Really, I've been fine," Ianto told Martha as they walked through a corridor leading from the medical bay on the ship. "Apart from not getting a full night's sleep, anyway…."

Jack just smirked and shrugged. Ianto's arm around his waist was a sensation he was still getting used to.

"Out at parties, keeping him up at night? Jack, you're supposed to let him rest."

"Why is it always my fault? I'm the one who said we should have a quiet night, he wanted to go. And he was the one who…."

Ianto grinned. It was adorable watching Jack suddenly go all shy. "I was the one who _what_, Captain?"

"Who wouldn't stop talking all night."

Ianto glanced over at Martha and shook his head. "He talked… _all_ night."

"Anyway…," Martha said, "you're feeling fine, but keep me informed ok? My experience with resurrection is a bit limited and never seems to be the same twice."

"Will do. Thanks again, Martha."

"How long are you planning to be on board?" Jack asked.

"Could be a while," Martha shrugged. "As long as he gets me back before I'm missed _too_ much," Martha nodded behind her to vaguely indicate the Doctor.

"Yeah, I'd be careful with that. He doesn't always have the best accuracy on landings."

"I'm aware," Martha said dryly. "Carry on, you two. And please rest a bit, Ianto, huh?"

"Tell him," Ianto said, pointing at Jack. "He's the one who wanted to take me on the tour. Thought he could impress me with a spaceship."

"Payback for that 'wrapped around your finger' comment," Jack said.

"Except that's true," Martha grinned. "And it has been for quite some time. See you!" Martha chirped on her way back to the med bay.

"She's right," Jack whispered.

"I know," Ianto whispered back.

Jack was quiet for a minute. "Next up, the galley! You'll see how they can do any dish from any planet – within reason, I don't think there's any cuisine from Clom aboard – to perfection."

"_Clom_?"

"Yeah, you helped Clom get home. They're a planet of the Rax species, along with the two Raxacoricoes and Clix, which I always thought sounded dirty. They're big on land prawns and raxweed. Kind of gamey, in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, it's a pretty nice place for a visit, just… not much going on except for their Disneyland, you know?"

"No," Ianto said frankly, shaking his head.

Jack laughed. "Yeah, you don't need to know really."

"Glad I could help them though, in some small way."

"In a big way. Your contributions have saved worlds, Ianto."

Ianto glanced away, still not used to accepting compliments. "You've saved the universe, as I understand it. Flash Harkness, is it?"

"Had a pretty good reason for helping to save it." Jack sighed. "And I told myself, and you, that I wasn't going to hedge anymore…. I thought about you the whole time, Ianto. I just wanted you safe. No matter what."

"Jack…," Ianto murmured, pulling him into a hug.

"We have time now," Jack said, stroking Ianto's back. "I'll get it right this time."

"Love you," Ianto said quietly.

"You too."

"Coming through, Captain!" one of the caterers called, coming down the corridor with a trolley.

"Not yet, but I will later!" Jack called back, pulling Ianto aside to let the trolley pass. Ianto just rolled his eyes.

"Oh, is that an Icelandic pudding?" Jack asked as the caterer went by. "Last time I had one of those was a Christmas party at the Time Agency."

"Do I even want to know?"

Jack gave him a look for a moment then shook his head. "Probably not. Though, I promised, no secrets, so if you ever do want to know, just say. I have to admit that most of it's a blur."

"Hyper-vodka?"

"Oh yeah. And, worse, hyper-bombs. Those are a bad idea. A _really_ bad idea."

"I had a jager-bomb once. I was positive someone had poisoned me, I have never been so sick."

"The hyper ones are the same."

"Ah, Jack, Mr. Jones."

"Doctor."

"Ianto, please, Doctor."

"Right then, Ianto. How're you feeling?"

"Excellent, thanks."

"Doctor… didn't see you at the crew party," Jack said.

"Nah. Well, never really was my thing. That's for you young people."

Jack scoffed. "That probably means he was off doing something secret, because I've seen him dance. Was just showing Ianto around the ship. The visit to the med bay was a cleverly disguised visit with Martha, and we're heading toward the galley now – a cleverly disguised stop for lunch."

"Lunch! I love lunch. And this is one of the few places that actually serves my favorite meal."

"What would that be?" Ianto asked, curious about what people from other times and places preferred to eat – as long as it wasn't earth humans, anyway.

"Fish fingers and custard," the Doctor said.

"Fish fingers… like, the ones in the freezer?"

"Yep. You dip them in the custard and they're excellent. Not as great by themselves, though."

"I guess everyone likes something a bit _different_," Ianto said diplomatically.

Jack got the feeling they should skip lunch for a bit, at least with the Doctor. "Doc, I was meaning to ask you if you've got anything down in the wardrobe more Ianto's style. You know, classic, smart three-piece suit."

"Oh, I'm sure. There's all sorts of things down there. Care to have a look? I'm parked just on the next deck."

"Shall we?" Jack asked Ianto.

"As much as I know you like the jeans, I'll probably get a bit tired of feeling like I'm permanently on holiday, so, yes."

Jack and Ianto followed the Doctor up a level and around a corner to where there was an old-style police box taking up half the corridor.

"You've got a wardrobe made up like an old police box?" Ianto asked.

"Of course not," the Doctor laughed. "The wardrobe is downstairs. Usually off the library. Which is sometimes in the pool."

Ianto vaguely wondered why, if the wardrobe was downstairs, they had just come upstairs to look at an antique police box. It seemed this sort of detour was the norm where the Doctor was concerned, though.

"Come on in," the Doctor said, aiming what looked like an outsized laser pointer at the box's door and opening it.

Ianto glanced at Jack to ask exactly what the three of them were going to do in an old police box. Jack grinned back inscrutably. Ianto dearly hoped this wasn't 'cleverly disguised' play for a three-way.

"After you," Jack said, letting Ianto step into the TARDIS.

"Um… Jack…? Where did the police box go?"

"We're in it. It's not really a police box, that's a perception filter that got stuck, apparently. Which is why we had the invisible lift back at the Hub, more or less," Jack said. "We're in a TARDIS – essentially it's a time machine."

"I'm in a time machine, parked inside a spaceship at the end of the solar system – and I was dead for months. Alright," Ianto muttered, looking around.

"Wardrobe is down this way," the Doctor said, leading them. "Was when I arrived anyway. You know how these things are."


	8. Chapter 8

"Red's kind of your color, I'd say," the Doctor said, rummaging through a drawer of bow ties.

Ianto glanced at Jack. Jack just grinned. "I generally prefer a four-in-hand tie with a Windsor knot," Ianto said.

"Oh. But bow ties are so cool…."

"We let him have his fantasies," Jack whispered.

"Fairly sure I don't do 'cool,' but thanks," Ianto said to the Doctor.

Jack held the coat of the suit for Ianto to try, mostly to hide his snicker at the Doctor's pout.

"This fits like a dream," Ianto said, impressed. "Perfect in the shoulders. And everywhere else," he said, buttoning the coat.

"Should be. The TARDIS is good with sizes," the Doctor said distractedly.

"So's Ianto," Jack said with a wink, which earned him a half-glare from Ianto. "You look incredible," he said, kissing Ianto's cheek as he held his eyes in the mirror and draped a carmine-red silk tie over Ianto's shoulder.

Ianto looked so perfect it hurt, in the most beautiful way Jack could imagine. He wished he could crush Ianto to him and tear that tidy suit from his body then and there. Jack was reminded, yet again, that he would do anything to keep this man safe and happy. Letting a planet blow-up was the least of it.

"Lunch, then?" Ianto asked. "Think I'll pass on the fish fingers, but I'll probably want fish-and-chips and a beer the minute we get home."

"Ah… home… yes," the Doctor said delicately with an uncomfortable look.

Jack was immediately on alert. When the Doctor talked like that, good news was never forthcoming. "Yes, home, as in approximately South Wales," Jack said pointedly.

"Or Earth in general…," the Doctor said.

"What. Happened?" Jack asked, trying his best not to get angry.

"To Earth? Nothing. It's fine. Still spinning along, right where it is should be. You were good with that, by the way," the Doctor said to Ianto.

"Thanks. But why does there seem to be some question about us going back?" Ianto asked carefully.

"Well, not really 'us.' I mean, there's no problem getting back, that's fine. It's more in the singular sense of… well, you."

"Me? Why?"

"Wait," Jack cut in, "this can't have anything to do with his death. That was handled, basically, with Torchwood – _my_ Torchwood's – protocols. We talked to his sister's family but we can talk to them again… or retcon -"

"We're not retconning them right off," Ianto said quickly. "Only if we have to. I imagine they're not clueless about aliens anymore."

"It's nothing to do with that sort of thing," the Doctor said. "Ianto is, to the 21st century Earth population, contagious."

"I'm what?"

"What you died of… you've been given an antidote… more like retro-vaccine, but it's still in your system, and technically you are contagious. It would be a rather large public health risk for you to return to 21st century Earth. Kind of like European explorers taking smallpox to the New World. It doesn't really do much harm to you anymore, you're immune now, but letting you into a world with no immunity… could be bad."

Ianto just stared.

"It won't be until around…," the Doctor paused to search his memory, "about… 3349 that the Earth population would have evolved enough immunity that you'd be safe. But Earth is… kind of not the same by then anyway…. There would be New South Wales by then. Not the Australian one, I mean the one on New Britain."

Ianto just stared some more. Jack had sat down silently in the nearest chair, but Ianto didn't notice. Finally he spoke, very quietly. "Are you telling me that I am… exiled… that I can never go back?"

"Well, not never, obviously. Just not for another thousand and some-odd years. I mean, original Earth will still be there, that'll last another few billion -"

"I'm not planning to be around that long," Ianto said curtly. "I can never return to Wales, _real_ Wales, Cardiff, my _home_ in the 21st century?"

"Like I said, it would be like the smallpox thing, on a global scale."

"I'm stuck up here… in space."

Ianto's voice was getting smaller and smaller and finally Jack got up to hold him. "Ianto… I-"

"Not now," Ianto growled and hurried out.

Jack's shoulders slumped.

"I tried to warn you, Jack," the Doctor said very quietly.

Jack glared hard but decided to keep silent against the vague possibility that the Doctor could fix this. He hurried out of the TARDIS to find Ianto before he got too lost on the massive cruiser.


	9. Chapter 9

The first place Jack checked was his stateroom, even though he knew Ianto would want to be alone and that was the last place Ianto would go, knowing it would be the first place Jack checked. He also checked with Martha, but knew Ianto wouldn't have gone to the med bay either. Jack told himself it was just as useless to check the galley, Ianto never ate when he was upset, but he checked there anyway. He checked the barroom too, knowing he wouldn't find Ianto there.

It was hours before he gave up. If Ianto Jones didn't want to be found, he wouldn't be found. Jack knew that. Naked hide-and-seek was entirely different to when Ianto wanted to be alone. Jack headed back up to the bar but stopped in the doorway when he saw a man in a smart 21st century suit leaning on the bar.

Ianto sat nursing his third gin and tonic with what he suspected was not quite the same sort of lime he was used to at home. A half-full shot glass sat aside his drink. From the far end of the bar a very small alien waddled up to sit beside Ianto – on the bar.

"Pardon me," it said in a squeaky voice. "There's a rumor on board that the nice-looking gentleman who accompanied the Captain last night is the same man who helped us home. Are you he?"

"Probably the Doctor you want," Ianto muttered.

"Oh no," the marshmallow-like fellow chuckled. "The Doctor helped too, of course, but it's an Earth man I'm talking about. You see, he's a legend up here and I just wondered…."

"A legend?" Ianto laughed mirthlessly. "That can't be good."

"Oh it is!" squeaked the little alien. "Our whole planet was moved, stolen, and this man from Earth… they say the Doctor couldn't have done it without his friends, you see? And that there was one man on Earth who stayed there and helped all of us up here. The Adiposeans hail him as a rescuer, a brave Earth man who stayed calm and steadfast even when his own planet was stolen and under Dalek attack."

"Well, rest assured he's gotten the customary Torchwood thanks for his trouble," Ianto said bitterly. "Dead, resurrected, and promptly exiled. I'm sorry, mate, not good company at the moment," Ianto apologized, seeing how disappointed the little blob looked. "You drink this hyper-vodka stuff? You can have mine. Too strong for me."

"Oh, that's ok. Not enough sugar for me," the Adipose giggled. "I'll just be off. Cheer up, Iantojones, you're a good Earth man," it said, hopping down onto a barstool and again down to the floor where it scuttled away.

A few minutes later someone else sat down beside Ianto at the otherwise empty bar.

"Double hyper-vodka," Ianto heard Jack say to the bartender. Without looking up, Ianto pushed his shot glass over to Jack.

"Thanks. Hey… I seem to have lost my number… can I have yours?"

Ianto rolled his eyes. "999."

Jack chuckled. "Yeah, they take _forever_ to respond to calls out here."

Neither of them said anything for a while.

"Will it do me any good to apologize?" Jack asked.

"Did you know? That the retro-vaccine would leave me… still contagious?"

"No. You've got to believe me, I had no idea. It never occurred to me for a moment. My biggest fear was just that it wouldn't work, that it would go wrong and I'd never get you back."

"Then you shouldn't apologize. Not your fault."

"I'm still sorry. But that Adipose was right. You are a good, brave Earth man, and I'd do anything, Yan… anything I could for you."

"Yeah, but see, the key thing there was _Earth_ man. Just when I think it can't get madder, I'm told I'm a legend to a race of giant marshmallows. And that's ok, but see… he didn't talk about the Doctor or the Captain, he talked about the Earth man. Well, that's it, isn't it? I mean, I'm not the action-man, I'm the administrative support, always have been. I'm the sidekick, I don't go charging in, guns blazing – I do back-up and clean-up."

"Ianto…," Jack sighed.

"There's something I always wanted to tell you, Jack. Every time you ran off with him… I wished you'd ask me along. If you had ever held out your hand and said 'come up there with me,' I'd have gone. At a moment's notice. Because I love you and I'd go anywhere with you."

Jack was quiet for a moment. "And it would have been your choice. This way, you weren't given a choice. I just… took you."

"Well, asking would have been a bit useless as I was rather dead at the time."

"Would you have come if you'd known there was no going back?" Jack asked quietly.

"For you? Yes."

"Ianto." Jack stood, pulling Ianto into a tight hug.

"You can go back, though. It's just me."

"Why would I go back without you?"

"Because you love earth. Why shouldn't you have that normal life you've always longed for? That country house you talked about…."

"Ianto, that life would be nothing for me without you in it."

Ianto held onto Jack for a long while without saying anything, knowing if he did all that would come out would be a sob.

"We _will_ get through this," Jack promised fiercely. "I'm not known to give up easily and there's a universe of possible answers out there."

Ianto knew there was no easy or immediate answer, but he was already starting to feel better just being held by Jack. "Of course, I suppose I could start a new life as protector to the marshmallow people, keeping them safe from the likes of Bertie Bassett."

"Clearly you've never heard of Terra Alpha."

Ianto shook his head as if to say 'I don't want to know.'

Jack took a step back and held out his hand to Ianto. "Come to the stars with me?" he asked. "I don't know if we'll ever get home, but I can show you so much out there…."

Ianto put his hand in Jack's and stepped into his arms for a kiss. "I love you, Jack. And as much as I want to get home… I wouldn't want to get there without you, either. And yes, I'd rather be alive with you here than dead there."


	10. Chapter 10

"How about a hot bath?" Jack suggested, back in his stateroom.

"Could do with that," Ianto admitted. "Not sure about anything… afterward, though. Just… not at the moment."

"No, not at the moment," Jack agreed. "Just some quiet time. Tea?"

"Maybe iced water."

"Sure. Give me a second," Jack said, kissing Ianto's cheek.

Ianto went to closet in the room to switch his suit for a dressing gown.

Jack pulled him into a hug as soon as he came back into the room. "Bath's drawn. Let me know if there's anything else you want, ok?"

"It's a big bath," Ianto said. "We could both use the relaxation."

"You sure?"

"I feel better when you're there," Ianto said.

"Then I'll be happy to join you," Jack said softly, kissing Ianto's ear.

"Wow, that smells good," Ianto said, walking into the bath.

"Jasmine salt. Regular Earth kind," Jack said.

"Oh yeah," Ianto sighed, stepping into the bath.

"Too hot?"

"Perfect."

"Good," Jack said, stepping in after him. "Come here."

Ianto lie back in the bath, settling into Jack's arms and resting his head on Jack's shoulder.

"Something I didn't ask you earlier," Ianto said after a while. "You mentioned Rhi…."

"They're fine, safe," Jack promised. "I sent Gwen and Rhys."

Ianto nodded. "Thank you. Maybe… maybe you could go back, just briefly, let them know I'm ok?"

"I could, if you want me to."

"My family weren't always very close, but I don't want them thinking I'm dead either."

"I understand. There's a lot of you in your sister, Yan. I heard they took in the whole neighborhood of kids to keep them safe."

"I'm sure Johnnie loved that," Ianto chuckled. "Well, unless he could get a few bob out of it."

"Ten quid a kid, that's what I heard."

Ianto rolled his eyes.

"Not sure how I ought to explain myself to them…."

"Well, you don't have to," Ianto said. "I kind of did that."

Jack stopped for a moment. "Really?"

"Yes. Well, ok, I might not have, but Rhi said one of her mates saw us at dinner. I think she was a little surprised, but… she was ok with it, actually."

"That's good," Jack said, holding Ianto a little closer. "I _will_ go back, eventually, and let them know."

"I suddenly wish I could see them," Ianto said quietly. "I wish we could go round for Christmas dinner, the kids' birthdays, normal couple stuff. Sorry, know you hate that word."

"I don't if you don't. I want that too, you have to know that. I'm not giving up, Yan. I swear I'll find a way…."

Ianto just held onto Jack's arms around his chest. "I believe you."

"See, I'm convinced it's destined to happen. I know I keep going on about that place in the country and rainy days, but I used to have this dream over and over again, a long time ago when I was a Time Agent. Just a short one. I was always lying on a couch in front of a window open, with a man in my arms, just like we are now. It was spring, I could see the flowers on the trees and the bright green new leaves… that fresh, earthy smell. Had a nice lawn and a little terrace. It was raining softly. I remember lying my head down on the arm of the couch, looking at the trees and listening to the rain while he slept on my chest. And I remember being so happy and feeling like no matter what I'd been through it was worth it to be with him. But there was nothing like that on Boe, nothing like that anywhere I'd ever been. So how could I have known about some damp little island with flowering trees and the most wonderful men in the universe?"

"If we ever get back," Ianto said, "that's us, no question." They were quiet again for a while, Ianto feeling like he could easily nod off in the hot bath with Jack after a few drinks. "Hey, Jack?" he whispered eventually.

"Hmm?"

"When you said you'd never told me you love me? I've no idea what you meant. You told me so many times, so many ways. I even heard your whispers a few times when I was almost asleep."

Jack decided the best response to that was a kiss. "I know it's kind of early, but maybe when we're done here we should just have a little dinner sent up and turn in?"

"Yeah, that'd be alright." After a minute, Ianto said, "Jack? If I'm asleep by then, don't wake me."

"Alright," Jack said hesitantly. He'd make sure Ianto had a decent breakfast in the morning, anyway.

A couple hours later, Ianto was sound asleep, still in one of the ship's dressing gowns. At least he'd had a bit of soup for dinner first, Jack thought, tucking him in. Jack left a note on the table that he'd be back before long. He needed to walk and think… there had to be a way.


	11. Chapter 11

"Well, Jack. Thought you might be round. Come in, have a sit? Just put on a pot of tea."

Jack gave the Doctor a tired look. A lawn chair, sat outside of the TARDIS, which was still taking up half a corridor)… Jack couldn't say he was surprised. Jack gave a short nod.

"Splendid!" the Doctor said, folding up his chair.

Jack followed the Doctor inside the TARDIS, hands stuffed in his pockets.

"How's Ianto?" the Doctor asked, 'magicking' up a couple chairs and a tea tray.

"He's been better," Jack said dryly. "But… he's been worse, too."

"Guess it's pointless to say it's not the end of the world."

"Because it _is_ for him."

"I'm -"

"Yeah, I know. Not your fault. And I'm sorry for being so…."

"Shirty?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I guess. Doctor, there's got to -"

"You're entitled to a little shirtiness now and then. I also have to say, I may have been a little less than genial about the whole… planet exploding thing."

"I didn't expect you to be pleased."

"Yeah, but… I may have done some things at times."

"Like?"

"Burned up a sun for a goodbye, not so long ago. Of course, nobody was using it at the moment. Point is, I understand."

"Then you also understand that I'd do anything to get him right again, to get us back to Earth. Yan doesn't belong up here, I don't think it will be good for him."

"I haven't any answers, Jack."

"Maybe there's an Earth where he could be safe…."

"If you're talking parallel worlds, bad idea. You know that, Jack."

Jack sighed. "I'd take the risk, if he'd be safe."

The Doctor shook his head. "Furthermore, that's not something you can do on your own."

Jack understood exactly what the Doctor meant by that. "Maybe I shouldn't have let it blow up, maybe they'd have been able to work out something that would have gotten rid of it for good. Something that would have cleaned it up properly, like the…. Doctor! Nanogenes! Nanogenes would do it! Why didn't I think of that before," Jack said, slapping his forehead. "I didn't need that damned antidote of theirs, I just needed the nanogenes."

"Do you remember the last time you were messing about with nanogenes?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "Obviously, but there's no danger of that up here."

"What if they copied your particular… state, Jack?"

Jack considered that for all of three seconds. "No. No, they wouldn't. I would… I'd stay out of the way."

"And where exactly would you get nanogenes?"

"A Chula ship, obviously. Although I'd heard they're used elsewhere in the future."

"Chula aren't usually very 'sharing' of their ships, Jack…."

"I know that. But I know where there is one they aren't using."

The Doctor blinked and looked cautious. "Where?"

"Right in the middle of London," Jack grinned.

"Come on, Jack. You know what happens if you cross your own timeline."

"You do it all the time. I can just sneak in, pick up the nanogenes, and get out. Quick operation. I know when I won't be anywhere near that ship. Just zap me in, zap me out."

"I don't know, Jack. There's so much that could go wrong, there always is with this sort of thing."

"Things can go wrong with anything, Doctor. There's no such thing as certainty. But there _is_ a good chance. You understand this, I know you do! What it means to be able to give someone you love a normal life… and even if it's only the tiniest fraction of mine… nothing would ever mean more to me."

The Doctor gave Jack a look that said Jack understood far too much of what it was like to be a Time Lord. "I'll do it," he said slowly, at length, "but on one condition."

"Name it."

"You talk to Ianto about it first. Tell him the plan, make sure he understands the risks, because I'm not sending you into the middle of the Blitz and having to deal with his anger… which, I suspect, when unleashed, is formidable."

"You have no idea."

"Exactly."

"Then I'll talk to him. Thank you, Doctor," Jack said, hurrying back to his stateroom.


	12. Chapter 12

Jack silently opened the door and tossed his coat over a chair. Kicking off his boots, he curled up beside Ianto, who was still asleep.

"Going to get you home, I promise," Jack whispered. "You're so beautiful."

"Jack?"

"Hey. Back to sleep, I'm here."

"You're dressed."

"Yeah, I'll change that in a second. Just needed a walk."

"Don't tell me this ship has a roof," Ianto grinned sleepily.

Jack rolled his eyes. "It's high enough up here, thanks."

"Well, get naked already."

Jack sighed loudly and got up to undress. "_You_ have gotten pushy."

"Too much time around _you_."

"Sorry, can't help you there," Jack grinned, slipping back into bed and wrapping his arms around Ianto's waist. "And you are still wrapped up, too."

Ianto turned over in Jack's arms. "Maybe I just like having a naked starman in my bed," he grinned, kissing Jack's neck.

"There's plenty onboard here, if you want to start a collection."

"Quiet, you."

"I've got something to tell you in the morning. So sleep, Ianto Jones, gorgeous Earth-man."

Ianto hummed. "Always a mystery," he muttered.

Jack held on to Ianto, watching him sleep soundly. "A comfortable, quiet life, Ianto. Just you and me. I'll make you so happy, every day."

Hours later, Jack woke to Ianto poking his shoulder. "I've had breakfast sent up. And you said you had something to tell me in the morning. It had better not be something like the time you had a dozen simultaneous orgasms on planet Booboo in the Crab Nebula."

Jack grinned, pulling Ianto in for a kiss. "Mmm. The B-36 sisters were pretty amazing," he snickered. "Come here."

"I can't wait till the next crew party when they're all making 'sexy' noises at us because it's gotten around from catering that we never get out of bed."

"Well… not sure I'm thinking about hanging around that long. 'Cause, I've thought of something."

"Well, there's a first."

Jack attempted giving Ianto a _look_ but only ended up going for another kiss. "You know your problem, Jones? Can't keep my hands off you."

"Don't. Breakfast – ETA 30 seconds, if I've gotten used to space time."

Jack sighed. "Alright," he said, getting out of bed just as there was a knock at the door. Ianto hurried to throw him a dressing gown, but Jack was already opening the door via his strap.

Ianto took a deep breath, hoping he wasn't blushing too much. Jack never was the least bit modest. He wondered if that was just normal up in space, because the waiter didn't seem bothered – though Ianto did notice him sneaking a peek as Jack pulled on the dressing gown. Not that Ianto could blame him. Jack grinned as they sat at the little breakfast table, but Ianto didn't think it was quite the same smug 'you know you looked too' grin he'd have expected from Jack.

"So what is it, then?" Ianto asked, pouring coffee.

Jack hesitated until Ianto passed him a cup and had taken his own first sip.

"Nearly as good as mine," Ianto said, impressed, before cocking his head at Jack to ask him to carry on.

"I think I've found a way, Yan. The Doctor is willing to help, provided I get your approval, because apparently he fears your wrath."

"Clever bloke."

"A lot smarter than me," Jack grinned. "But, here's the thing. There are these medical robots, basically, called nanogenes. They're a technology of a race from the planet Chula, any kind of wound, they fix it up straight away. They could get rid of whatever traces of virus are in you, too, and we're free to go home without risking anybody."

"What's the catch?"

"There really isn't one. They won't hurt you at all, they're fine for 21st Earth people, no problem. And it's just a matter me popping back to Earth for some and then right back. Take me minutes, if that."

"I never heard of these things. And if they're a Chula thing, why would you be getting them from Earth?"

"Yeah, they weren't on Earth very long, but I know exactly when and where they will be. When I first came to Earth I was piloting a Chula ship. It was for a… well, a deal I was setting up."

"A con."

"That was then," Jack said seriously. "But the point is, all I need to do is jump in and jump out, bring the nanogenes back, fix you up, and then we can be on our way as soon as you like."

"Hang on… when you first came to Earth it was during the war."

"Yeah."

"So you're just going to hop into the middle of the London Blitz. Jack, do you recall the last time you visited '41? I don't think they've got a Rift Manipulator up here going spare."

"That won't happen this time," Jack promised. "This isn't related to the Rift."

"Alright, fine, no Rift. What about the other… oh, 5 billion things that could wrong?"

"There's one thing that could go right. That's what I'm interested in."

"Couldn't I zap down with you? Let those things cure me there? I don't want to be away from you if something dangerous could happen."

"What's going to happen? Not like anything's going to kill me. And the Doctor will get me right back. All I have to do is get the nanogenes and send the signal to bring me back here."

Ianto sighed. He knew how stubborn Jack was and knew that even if he vetoed the idea, Jack was likely to sneak off and do it anyway. "Jack… there's only one thing I would never forgive you for."

Jack cautiously raised a brow.

"If something happens and you don't make it back to me, you'll have broken my heart."

Jack nodded. "Then I'll have to see to it that doesn't happen."

"You'd better had." Ianto took a long breath and another drink of space-coffee. "Are we having a cook in that country house?"

Jack smiled softly. "Hell no, I'm doing the cooking. Except for coffee."

_So… now here's the question to the readers. We all know something will go wrong. How bad, dear readers? Pick a curtain: 1 2 3_


	13. Chapter 13

_Alright, dears - Curtain 2 it is! (Maybe i'll show you what was behind Curtain 1 after the end. Be glad it wasn't Curtain 3 because that would have landed Jack in Miracle Day, and we really don't want that, do we?)_

* * *

"Doctor!" Jack called out, practically pulling Ianto down the corridor toward the TARDIS.

"Does he always have to shout?" the Doctor said, poking his head out from the police box.

"Americans," Ianto said dryly.

"You know you like it."

"Part of a whole," Ianto smiled.

"He's agreed, Doctor. We talked and I explained the plan… so if we could get on with it."

The Doctor took a long breath and glanced at Ianto who nodded once.

"I've told him if he doesn't get back here I'm not forgiving him," Ianto said.

"There's a threat I'd take seriously," the Doctor said.

"I'll be back before you can miss me, I swear," Jack said, wrapping Ianto in a hug. "_Dw I'n dy garu di_."

Ianto sniffled. "Your Welsh is atrocious," he said, trying desperately to laugh.

"I know. I've only been able to pick it up because you thought I couldn't understand it. Too bad you don't have a stopwatch, you could use it now. I'll only be a couple minutes."

"Not what you said the last time I had one in my hand," Ianto said with a watery smile. "Go, then."

Jack trailed a hand from Ianto's cheek down his neck as he pulled Ianto into a kiss. Then he took off his coat and handed it to Ianto. "Hang onto this till I get back," he said, with one more kiss to Ianto's cheek. Jack stepped back a few paces and looked toward the Doctor. "Beam me down, Doc. London, '41. _19_41, if you please."

"On your way," the Doctor said, pressing a button.

Jack raised his hand to his lips to blow Ianto a kiss as he flickered and faded.

"I really hate that," Ianto muttered.

* * *

"Ouch! Damn it," Jack moaned. The landing was a little rougher than he'd expected. He gave it a moment to let the ache fade then stood up to dust himself off. He looked around and found himself in the dark in Parliament Square. He'd been hoping to land on or in the Chula ship directly.

Still, it was easy enough. He checked the square to make sure no one was around. The streets were deserted and all windows with a view of the square appeared blacked out. Perfect, Jack thought, flipping open his wrist strap and pressing a button to activate the tractor beam on the invisible ship docked aside the Clock Tower.

Jack let the beam carry him upward and onboard the alien warship, a landing slightly less rough than the last one. He couldn't help grinning as he looked around. Everything was exactly as he remembered. Dancing with Rose, that martini he was sure would be his last…. He wished again that Ianto had known him when he was so happy-go-lucky. Not that he didn't have his burdens then, too… there were just a lot less then, and no spectre of them lasting _forever_.

Jack ran a hand over his old bunk, the pilot's chair, the control panel. It had been a long time since he'd had his own ship… nearly 150 years.

Jack tried to fight off the idea forming in his mind. No, he told himself firmly, no taking the warship for a quick spin around the block. Just collect some nanogenes and signal the Doctor to get him back to Ianto.

Jack typed a command to release a sizable number of the sub-atomic healing particles into the ship's cabin.

"Hey guys. Need to collect you, if you don't mind. You're needed up on a cold-fusion cruiser where a patient – somebody very important to me – needs you to clear a virus out of his system so that he won't be contagious to his peers. If you could just buzz into the container…." Jack took a bottle for pills from his pocket and held it open for the nanogenes, which occupied it immediately. "Always liked you little fellows. Alright. Let's get going."

Jack put the container safely back into his pocket and reached for his wrist strap to send the signal to the Doctor to bring him back. It would all be a lot easier if he could talk to the Doctor into giving him back the strap's original vortex manipulation capabilities. It wasn't like he was about to go jumping around space and time, not anymore.

Before Jack could send the signal, the Chula ship flipped and suddenly Jack was falling through the roof hatch toward Parliament Square… again.

"Shit…," Jack moaned. "That hurt. Where am I?"

"Oops. Almost caught you."

Jack looked around, all too familiar with that voice. "Oh no. Get back, don't come anywhere near me."

"I was just going to help you up. Thought you might be hurt. Guess you can't get hurt. Heard about that whole… blown to bits thing. Wow. Talk about somebody out there hating you!"

"Shut up! Go away. I'm trying to remember something."

"Aw, sweetie, you're trying to remember _me_!"

"No, I am not. I am trying to forget you, John. Just go."

"Ah, see… _still_ trying to forget. What are you trying to remember?"

"If I knew that I wouldn't be trying!" Jack snapped. "I was doing something, I was about to… go somewhere."

"Right. How about an air-raid shelter? Because apparently we are in the middle of big, bloody war, and while you might not mind getting blown to bits – was it a kinky thing, by the way? – I'm not sure I'd come through as clean as you."

Jack was so confused he let John lead him to the nearest shelter. His body protested every step of the way – not because of the fall, but he was sure he wasn't supposed to be there, there was someplace else he needed to be, as quick as possible.

People stared at them as they entered the shelter. "Don't mind him, he's in a marching band," Jack told the crowd quickly. He remembered this… air raids and shelters packed with government workers trying desperately to keep Britain together. So why couldn't he remember where he was supposed to be?

"Oh the things I could tell them about you!" John snickered in Jack's ear.

"Oh the ways I could kill you," Jack scowled. "I'm supposed to be somewhere important, damn it. Not here with you."

"Oh, so that _is_ a banana in your pocket and you aren't happy to see him?"

"John, shut it. It's 1941 and Earth isn't too keen on boys getting it on with other boys just yet," Jack whispered tersely. He did check his pocket, as discreetly as he could in a shelter, though. It was a bottle of something glowing and shimmering.

"What are you doing with nanobots?" John asked. "Didn't think _you'd_ need those. You're kind of a walking nanobot."

"I don't need them. They're… not for me. They're for…." Jack closed his eyes. It finally slipped back into place. "They're for Ianto. I gotta signal the Doctor to get me back. I told him I'd only be a few minutes."

"What happened to eye-candy?"

Jack ignored John and pressed again and again at the button on his device that would call to the Doctor. "Nothing's happening… fuck! Give me yours."

"It's DNA coded -"

"Bullshit. Give it to me."

"Jack… it's not as easy -"

"If you don't -"

"Here, see for yourself, then," John said, removing his strap and shoving it at Jack.

Jack typed in the destination coordinates for CFC 952801 to arrive minutes after he left. "I'll take you with me only because you'll need this back so you can leave the ship immediately, got that?"

John shrugged. "Whatever you say, Jack," he said in a falsely cheery tone as he face settled into a grim smirk.

Jack put a 'companionable' arm around John and pressed the button that would send them to the edge of the solar system in a blink. Only nothing happened.

"I tried to tell you, but do you ever listen to me? Of course not."

"No…. This isn't happening. I need to get back to him!"

"What happened to him, Jack?"

"Like you care!" Jack shouted.

John mimed 'drinking' to the crowd who were staring at him and Jack again. "Let's sit down and maybe you can listen to me for two minutes?"

"You're just about the last person in the universe I really want to listen to right now, John," Jack growled.

"Yeah, but you need to figure out what happened to be able to get back, right?"

Jack just looked at him as if to say he'd be better off figuring it out with the nearest Dalek.

"Alright. How about I scare up some coffee first?"

"It's probably rationed."

John rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I'll find something."

Jack decided to find the loneliest corner he could to think of what could have happened and how he could get back. There were government workers everywhere, but one little alcove seemed to be reversed for one who sat on a low ledge, huddled in on himself, face hidden in his arms.

"Hi," Jack said, sitting down. "Sorry, don't mind me, ok?"

"You probably don't want to be seen talking to me," the other man muttered.

"Why not?" Jack asked, curiosity getting the best of him.

"Because every man down here's afraid to be stuck in here with me."

"No offense, but you don't look that dangerous."

"I'm queer, alright? I'd be in prison except I'm too valuable to the war-effort. For now."

"I understand," Jack said sympathetically. "You're ok with me, alright?" The man beside him looked up and Jack gasped. "Yan…?"


	14. Chapter 14

"How do you know me?" Ianto cautiously demanded.

"Yan… I…. Ok, no, I don't think you do know me." Jack's head felt like it was exploding. Where was this, how could Ianto be huddled in an air-raid shelter in the middle of the Blitz?

"But _you_ know me. Why?"

"That's… complicated."

"Are you an RAF volunteer as well?" Ianto asked quietly, pointing at Jack's cufflinks. "Did you know Jack?"

"Jack…?"

"Captain Harkness."

"Oh… oh yeah. I knew him. Anyway, we danced once in Cardiff."

Ianto swallowed hard. "He was through Cardiff just before…."

"Yeah, I know. So, you knew him, huh?"

Ianto nodded shyly.

"Funny how some things don't change…."

"I loved him," Ianto whispered after a minute.

"I know. I mean, he knew."

"He told you about me?"

"Oh yeah. You had him wrapped around your finger, he said. The most handsome, intelligent guy he ever met. He was so happy he got to have that time with you, it meant everything to him."

"There's nobody else like him," Ianto said shakily.

"Oh, I don't know. There might be. Big universe."

"Hey… where did you find eye-"

Jack glared at John, shutting him up immediately.

"Well, you were right, no coffee. There's some kind of tree bark stuff that's supposed to be just like it. Here."

"That's chicory. Barely passable," Jack said. "Excuse me," he said to Ianto. "My colleague and I need to have a word."

"Alright, so what was that? Looks like eye-candy," John asked as they stepped away.

"I swear if you call him that one more time…," Jack growled. "I think this is a parallel."

"Oh… look at clever-clogs," John said sarcastically.

"Stow it. So, how do we get out of here?"

"Why? You've got your eye… um… him."

"No, I haven't. _My_ eye… fuck. My _Ianto_ is stuck on a cold-fusion cruiser waiting for me right now."

"Well, I guess that might depend on how we got here. I mean, I know how I got here. Somebody saw fit to shunt me into this place and shorted out my strap at the same time. You, however, I have no idea. You just dropped out of mid-air, like a bomb."

"I wasn't in mid-air, I was in the Chula ship. Parked it up by Big Ben."

"There's no ship up there, Jack. Not even with a filter on it. No alien tech around, I scanned."

"Damn it! There has to be, I fell out of it. One minute I was getting ready to tell the Doctor to bring me back and the next, the ship flipped over and I fell out of the hatch somehow."

"And into a parallel dimension where there is no Chula ship and never will be."

"Well, there has to be something."

John rolled his eyes with a sigh. "This is going to be like that damned time-loop all over again, isn't it? Except this time you'll do nothing but moan about missing your eye… your boyfriend."

* * *

Inside the TARDIS, Ianto was getting uncomfortable. He was checking his watch compulsively, even though it had only been about 15 minutes.

"Why not relax with a cup of tea?" the Doctor suggested.

"Not at the moment," Ianto said distractedly. "He said minutes, Doctor. So why hasn't he signaled?"

"Probably just a time thing. You know, wibbly-wobbly -"

"Yeah, I know. That doesn't help."

"Sorry."

"Can't you track him and bring him back here?"

"Yes… ordinarily."

"What do you mean 'ordinarily?'" Ianto frowned.

"Ordinarily as in… ordinarily I would still have a tracking signal from him. I did until a few minutes ago. He landed on Earth, London, 1941, definitely… and then he just… went off."

"Went. Off?"

"The tracker disappeared."

"Why? Was it like when he went to Earth to find you the first time?"

"I don't think so. That kind of travel could easily short the vortex manipulation, but wouldn't knock out tracking."

"Well, what _does_ knock out tracking?"

"Well…. The TARDIS has a tough time tracking anything in different universes. Parallels. For very good reason."

Ianto was silent for a while. "What is that good reason, exactly?"

"She's Time Lord technology, basically. After the Time War, the whole parallel universe travelling thing went a bit… not good. It's even more not good since Canary Wharf."

"Yes. That would be another extremely painful episode in my life I didn't want reminding of."

"Oh… you were with Torchwood in London?"

"Yes."

"Sorry about that."

"So am I.

"I know how bad that day was. Believe me, I do. But, anyway… that parallel thing probably has nothing to do with Jack's tracker. Not very likely at all. Just give it a little more time. He'll be back."

"Doctor… I have to tell you. I've never been a fan of what they did in London, but I'm starting to see what they meant about the Doctor being dangerous."

The Doctor just gave Ianto a regretful look and kept messing about with controls in the TARDIS.


	15. Chapter 15

"It's been three days, Doctor. I'm worried sick. I have no idea what to do for him," Martha said.

"I know," the Doctor muttered, deep in thought. "I'm starting to think that the parallel idea isn't so far-fetched. But I made _sure_ it was shut. There shouldn't have been any way…. Except that it wasn't shut in 1941, was it? But London shouldn't have had those cracks then anyway."

Martha sighed. There was no use trying to get the Doctor out of his own head when he was puzzling something. She just hoped he figured out what happened to Jack soon, because she wasn't sure how much longer Ianto could last.

* * *

"If this is London, odds are they've got Torchwood. Much as I'd rather not deal with them, not much choice at the moment," Jack said. The all-clear had sounded a while ago and Jack, John, and Ianto were currently walking down the Strand. Jack had insisted Ianto stay with them as they left the bunker, too worried about the shy, _different_ Welshman to leave him on his own in the middle of 1941 London - in any universe.

"Where are we going?" Ianto asked warily.

"Canary Wharf, I think," Jack said.

"Canary Wharf? What's there? It's been fairly heavily bombarded, that's probably the worst place to be right now. _And_ it's 5 miles from here, mate."

"Got someplace else to be?" Jack asked.

Ianto shook his head.

"The old way was so much easier," John moaned.

"Shut it. I don't want a word from you."

John spent the next mile silently pulling facing at Jack.

"Are you two… um… like Jack and I were?" Ianto asked after a while.

"No," Jack said firmly. "Absolutely not."

"Well, we _were_," John said.

"I said shut it."

"Not what you said back then," John grinned.

"John and I were never even _remotely_ like… like you and Jack were," Jack said, ignoring John.

"Sorry, I don't think I even asked your name," Ianto said.

"Wait… you don't _know_ Jack?" John asked.

Jack tried to catch John's eye to stop him.

"Yes, I know Jack, he was… oh, you're called Jack as well?" Ianto asked.

"Yeah. Confusing, right? That's how we got to know one another. Harkness, Harper… alphabetically and all."

"And, he says unasked, I'm John Hart… right behind him, as always. Yes, I know, Jack, 'shut it.'"

"Where do you work, Ianto?"

"Whitehall archives," Ianto said.

"Alright. Any security clearance?"

"Restricted records. Like I said, though, only because there's a war on."

"Just remember one thing, Ianto. There is _nothing_ wrong with you. I know it's going to be a while, if your timeline is the same, but people will start to figure that out before too long."

"To tell you the truth… sometimes I'd rather just… just not be here at all anymore. I thought it was worth hiding when I had Jack. Not sure of that anymore."

Jack stopped and faced Ianto. "It is worth it, Ianto. Please believe me. You're a wonderful person, Yan. Just like Jack said you were – smart and handsome, loyal…. There's somebody out there for you, Ianto. I can't explain why I know that, I just do. Somebody who's going to love you more than anything…. You just gotta hang on until you find him, ok?"

Ianto nodded but the sadness in his eyes told a different tale.

"Come here," Jack said softly, pulling him into a hug.

* * *

"Why would he leave me here?" Ianto asked, exhaustion in his voice.

He'd waited hours for Jack to return to the TARDIS, and when he didn't, Ianto went back to Jack's stateroom and hadn't left since. Most of the time he spent curled up on the bed, his head on Jack's pillow that still smelled of those pheromones Jack was always teasing about. Sometimes he got up and went to the window, hoping against hope that he'd see something, anything to indicate Jack had returned, only to crumple into the chair beside the window.

"He didn't leave you, Ianto. He's just gotten held up, that's all. You know Jack, says he'll be five minutes, then gets lost for the next five hours," Martha said, trying to raise a smile.

"Yeah. But not days. Except when it's to do with the Doctor, of course."

"Crazy things do tend to happen around him, I know, trust me. But he doesn't cause those things. He shows up trying to fix things."

"He can't fix this. Jack's gone missing and he's got no idea why." Ianto's eyes teared up yet again. "I shouldn't have let him go. He did this because of me. I don't belong up here, but I would have made do here with him."

"Ianto… you can't blame yourself, either. The universe is huge, like really, really huge, and there's no way to know what could happen. But come on, I know Jack, too, and I know he would do anything to be with you. Absolutely anything. And I'd hate to be anybody who'd try to get in his way."

"I just want him back," Ianto whispered. "I wouldn't even have a go. Not at first anyway."

"He's probably having a right go at himself as we speak."

"That's the worst part of it," Ianto said miserably.


	16. Chapter 16

It was more than two hours before the trio reached the London docklands, most of it punctuated by John moaning and Jack snapping at him.

"Sure you two aren't… together?" Ianto asked.

"_Very_," Jack said emphatically.

"And now that the great Captain has dragged us across this hellscape of a city – what delights await?" John asked sarcastically. "Oh, look… bombed out docks. I'm so glad you brought us to this, Jack. Really -"

"Yeah, notice the one warehouse in the middle that's untouched? That's what we're looking for."

Jack led them on toward the warehouse, carefully making their way around the ruins, many of which were still smouldering. Approaching the blacked-out warehouse door, Jack knocked loudly and shouted, "Torchwood authorization #474317; Harkness, Jack."

Moments later, the door was wrenched open. "Wrong combination, mate. But I'm a bit curious as to how you know who we are and how we operate…."

Jack had to keep his jaw from dropping as Owen Harper stood there, arms crossed.

John stood aside chuckling. "Oh, this is a fun little reunion. I'm glad I came along for the ride now."

Ianto reminded silent.

"Dr. Owen Harper?" Jack asked, getting a squint in response. "Am I glad to see you! Alright, here's what we're dealing with – parallel dimension. I'm Captain…." Jack suddenly realized that wasn't the name he'd given Ianto and turned to him apologetically. "I'll explain this later, I promise. Captain Jack Harkness," he said, offering Owen his hand. "I'm from Torchwood 3 – you guys have a Cardiff base here? Anyway, Torchwood 3, throughout the 20th and into the 21st century. I've gotten pulled into this universe from my own and I need to get back there as soon as possible."

"You're also Time Agents," Owen said, pointing at Jack and John's wrist straps.

"He is," Jack said. "I was. And Ianto isn't."

"Captain John Hart – again, unasked," John said.

"You would do well to completely ignore his presence," Jack advised. "You don't happen to have a Toshiko here too, and Gwen?"

"That's the team. You're pretty well informed, you lot."

Jack shrugged. "Parallel dimension. You were all on my team, too. And Ianto."

"What'd he do, then, make tea?"

"Coffee, actually, and it was excellent. And he was a hell of an archivist, among other things. You guys must have an awesome shield around this place… right in the middle of one of the most heavily hit areas."

"We think it works. Pretty good perception field too, except it didn't seem to work on you."

"Well, are you going to ask them in or stand in the doorway all night, Owen?"

"Tosh!" Jack cried.

"Yes. I'm sorry, have we met?"

"Not here. I was just telling Owen – parallel universe and all that. My team in -"

"Blah, blah, blah. Yeah, we've had that. Can we just come in?" John interrupted.

"Please," Tosh said politely, pulling Owen out of the doorway. "Lock up, Owen."

"Yeah, I can handle that, Tosh," Owen groused.

"So, you're Torchwood in another dimension?" Tosh asked, eager to know more.

"That's right. I was with Cardiff off and on most of the 20th century and was leader from 2000 until 2009. Captain Jack Harkness, at your service."

"Toshiko Harper. I guess I'm 'leader' here. Just a title, really. I mainly do computing and translations. You've met our medic, Owen. And Gwen Williams is our… sort of public image person. She's off for the night, her third wedding anniversary." Tosh sighed. "Except her husband is currently fighting in the Mediterranean."

Jack nodded and couldn't help smiling at Tosh's surname.

"How did you end up here, Captain? Any idea?"

"Well, I was tossed here by someone who was very annoyed with me…," John said.

"She meant me," Jack snarled. "Why don't you stay out of the way and _not touch anything_?"

"I think he's very nasty," John sulked.

"Can't half blame him," Ianto muttered.

"Sorry, Tosh. The one with the big mouth is John Hart, we were Time Agents together – a _long_ time ago – and he's nothing but trouble now. This is Ianto Jones, archivist for Whitehall. Your coffee any good, Ianto?"

Ianto shrugged. "When I can get some. Had some at Christmas, actually, just for a treat."

"Well, we've got some in – one of the very few benefits of Torchwood - if you'd like a cup," Tosh offered.

"I'd be happy to brew enough for everyone," Ianto said. "Have you a percolator?"

"Yes, straight through that way. Though I feel a bit rude letting you do it yourself."

"Not a problem, happy to. Don't reckon we were expected guests."

"He'd be a good addition to the team," Jack said confidentially to Tosh.

"We could use a little help on the administrative side," Tosh admitted. "Maybe I'll make him an offer."

"You wouldn't regret it," Jack said. "Anyway… the reason I'm here is because I need to get back to my dimension as soon as possible. I really don't know how I ended up here. I'd just jumped back to London '41 – on my end – because I needed nanogenes from a Chula ship that was there. Before I could signal to get back to the 21st century, the Chula ship turned over and tipped me out. When I came to, I was in _this_ London – and somehow followed by _that_ bit of flotsam. We ducked during the air-raid and that's where I found Ianto. He's a little different from the rest and I didn't want to leave him on his own out there." Jack's eyes went sad. "Mostly because I've got my own Ianto and I'm pretty desperate to get back to him."

Tosh nodded. "I understand. So… there are Chula warriors fighting in your war?"

"No, no. I just happened to have access to that ship. Although, its pilot was gorgeous…. Anyway, no, just contemporary Earth humans."

"Which is more frightening?" Tosh asked philosophically.

Jack shook his head. "Sometimes I'm not sure."

"Alright, Captain. Let's work on getting you back where you belong, shall we?" Tosh said, leading Jack over to her machinery.

* * *

Once Tosh had the data she needed, she figured it was mostly down to calculations and asked Jack to just make himself at home until she had some more information. Jack sat down on a gorgeous old brocade settee and watched Ianto take coffee around to the inhabitants of 'the Hub.'

Ianto came to Jack last and handed him a mug. "Why did you give them Jack's name?"

Jack patted the space beside him and Ianto slowly accepted the invitation. "Did you pick up any of that 'parallel dimension' stuff I was throwing around?"

"Yeah. Not sure I exactly understood it. Though, I seem to be the only one."

"That's ok. Basically, there are a number of different dimensions sort of stacked up against one another. And I came over here from another one, accidentally. In that other place, there was also a Captain Jack Harkness in the war. He died, and I used his name because I was undercover at the time. I did meet him though – in my universe, that is. And he was _hot_."

Ianto managed a smile. "He was very handsome."

"And I have my own Ianto back there, waiting for me to get back." Jack went quiet for a long while. "Told him I'd just be minutes. It's been hours now."

Ianto nodded. "I know how he feels. He must miss you so much."

"He said he couldn't forgive me if I don't get back to him."

"You'll get back. I know you will."

Jack was quiet for a while again, then took a slightly shaky breath. "Coffee's good. Thanks."


	17. Chapter 17

"Captain Harkness," Tosh called. "Think I've worked it out."

Jack jumped up and ran over to her. "Toshiko, you're brilliant in any universe. Let's see what you've got."

Jack and Tosh sat for a while, talking animatedly over her calculations and discussing theories and ideas of what might have happened.

Ianto stayed on the settee, looking around the Torchwood warehouse, filled with strange machines and devices of all sorts. It was like something from another world, and given what Jack had told him before, he wasn't certain that it _wasn't_ from another world.

After a while, Owen sauntered by from behind his hospital partition. "Oi, coffee-boy. That was a good cup, lot better than mine."

"Thanks… I think," Ianto replied.

"You, uh, do files as well, huh?"

Ianto nodded.

"We could use that around here. I'm sure tired of dealing with that stuff, myself. Gotta run it past the boss, though. Say… what's with the band leader over there?"

Ianto shrugged. "I really don't know. Jack doesn't like him very much though."

"I can see why, he's just sat there and scowled for the last hour. Harkness seems alright though, a lot better than most of the alien stuff we have to deal with," Owen said, heading back to his work area.

"That's it! That's it!" Jack cried triumphantly from the middle of the room.

John finally quit being insulted long enough to go over and see what it was that Jack and Toshiko had figured out, as did Owen. Ianto stayed seated, however.

"There's just one problem," John said, looking at the plan.

"Yes, I know," Tosh said, "how are you going to get up in mid-air? Well, we'll puzzle that out. We're Torchwood, there's always a way."

"I know a way," Jack said mysteriously with a grin. "Barrage balloon!"

"Oh, there we are… he's lost it, finally," John said, rolling his eyes.

"No, I mean it. In fact, I met an old friend traveling that way a long time ago. We'll just need to borrow one, and between Torchwood and psychic papers, I think we'll manage it. It'll get us up to the incursion but won't draw much attention since they're everywhere."

"Alright, team," Tosh said. "Let's get on it. Captain Harkness needs to get home."

"As does Captain Hart," John said sourly.

"We'll see," Jack said.

"Owen, you take Captain Hart and see if you can 'borrow' a balloon. I'll go with Captain Harkness and do the same. Whoever manages to get one first should signal and we'll then meet in Parliament Square."

"Got it, boss-lady," Owen said, causing Tosh to roll her eyes. "Come on, John Philip Sousa."

As Tosh picked up her coat and headed toward the door with Jack, Ianto finally stood up and cleared his throat. "Um… I'm sorry, but what should I be doing at this point?" he asked.

Tosh turned, having completely forgotten Ianto was there. "Oh, Ianto, I'm sorry! Please come along with us. I wanted to talk to you about working with us, if you're interested."

Jack gave him an encouraging smile and Ianto just about managed to return it.

Traversing London in a couple of military vehicles was a far cry quicker than the walk from Parliament to the docklands had been. It was only a little more than an hour before a balloon was "obtained" by Owen and John – likely because the doctor was willing to employ any means necessary to shorten his association with John Hart. The group converged in Parliament Square, Owen and John bringing the balloon along attached to their Jeep like a parade balloon sailing above 34th Street in New York City on Thanksgiving Day.

* * *

Ianto woke sometime in the night, according to the perception shade over the window in Jack's stateroom. He lie awake for a moment, reaching across to touch Jack's pillow and wondering why he _still_ hadn't returned.

"I dreamt of you, Jack," Ianto said into the lonely darkness. "You weren't immortal anymore. It seemed to take so much sadness and stress away from you." Ianto hoped desperately that it had been a dream and not a premonition.

"Only… everyone else on earth was living forever. And instead of ignoring it and going on and living your life, you helped. You were always like that, Jack. You never gave up if you could keep fighting for others."

After a while, Ianto decided to get up. He never liked lying about if he could get up and do something… only Ianto was fairly sure there was nothing for him to do but wait and hope. He wondered how long he could keep that up. And then he began to wonder if he could be like Jack had seemed in that dream – carrying on, no matter what, until things were right again. Wherever Jack was, Ianto knew he'd be fighting to get back any way he could. Ianto couldn't give up on believing in him.

* * *

"Right, so what we're going to do is release this once you're hanging on. And then you just float up through the... fissure and back where you started," Owen recapped.

"I know you can't get a message back to tell us you arrived safely, but… if you ever work it out on that side, drop us a line," Tosh said.

"If I ever find a way, I'll be sure to write," Jack said, pulling Tosh into a hug, then Owen to make it a group-hug. It hadn't been so long since the day he'd lost half his team, along with all that had remained of his birth family. A part of him hated to leave them behind, but they were doing well and Jack was definitely needed elsewhere.

Jack stepped back, about to nod to John that he was ready to go. Then Jack caught sight of Ianto, stood aside and looking drawn in upon himself. Jack held up a hand to John and jogged the few paces over to Ianto.

"Hey," he said, squeezing Ianto's shoulder. "You going to be alright?"

Ianto shrugged.

"You'll find him," Jack said softly.

"But what if I already did?" Ianto whispered.

"It doesn't make it less," Jack said, wrapping his arms around Ianto. "Real love isn't a contest or a single chance. I've been in love so many times."

"But your Ianto is special. I can see that."

Jack held Ianto close. "Yes, he is. And so are you… believe me. You'll love working with Tosh and Owen and Gwen. And one day, you'll see, you'll find him… again. It will be so worth it, Yan. Promise me?"

"I promise Jack," Ianto said quietly after a moment.

Jack kissed his cheek, fairly sure that promise wasn't made to him but to the American flyer who was shot down during a training exercise. It was good enough for Jack.

"Make sure you kiss him once for me when you get back to him, yeah?"

Jack nodded. "You bet."

Turning back, Jack saw John standing under the balloon's bridle rope and looking impatient. The only reason he even considered sharing his way out was not wanting to inflict John Hart on another universe.

"Let's go," Jack said, climbing up on the back of the jeep and grabbing the rope to pull himself up.

"Only way to travel," John muttered, following suit.

"Alright, you lot. Best of British!" Owen said, releasing the balloon to drift up over Parliament Square.

About halfway up passed the Clock Tower, Jack, John, and the balloon disappeared into the air.

"Well, bullocks. I was planning to sell that balloon back," Owen groused.


	18. Chapter 18

Jack landed in the middle of Parliament Square… yet again. This time, John Hart broke his fall.

"I knew you were just gagging to jump my bones again," John grinned as Jack caught his breath.

"Think again," Jack said, checking the bottle of nanogenes that had been tucked in his pocket all along.

"Honestly, Jack. Leave it to you to find the only more-depressing universe than the one you'd just left. I didn't think it got much more boring than eye-candy until I met the _other_ -"

John's words were cut off by Jack's right hook. "I warned you."

"So exciting when you play rough," John grinned, checking his jaw.

"John, shut it. I did more than you deserve by bringing you back through with me, and now we're back where we ought to be, I'm leaving." Jack checked his strap and pressed a button. He could have fallen to his knees in relief when it lit up.

"Where are you going?" John asked casually.

"Getting a lift from an old friend. That's all you need to know. Goodbye, John. Kindly don't visit again."

Jack's image began to flicker and fade as a beam of light shot straight up.

"They always leave," John muttered, walking off into the lonely dark night of an air-raid in London.

* * *

Jack landed in a heap and shook his head to clear it. "Starting to get used to that," he grumbled.

"Certainly glad to see you… and it looks as if the feeling is mutual."

"Doctor!" Jack shouted, jumping up for a hug. "I was half afraid I'd end up who knows where again."

"You did take your time, Jack. I almost earned myself a formidable enemy… yet another one."

"I ended up in another dimension, Doctor. Landed fine, got the nanogenes, but just as I was about to signal you, I got tipped out of the Chula ship and landed in '41 London… a different one. Which, interestingly, had some very familiar faces."

"Dimensions tend to be like that. I lost your signal and a parallel was the first thing I thought of, but I would really like to know how you ended up transiting because I know quite well that I closed those dead."

"I wouldn't be surprised if you find out it was something to do with a Time Agent currently going by the name John Hart. But maybe we can hash that out later… I'm late for a very important date. At least he'll be used to me taking a few hours longer than planned."

"Hours, maybe. But I think it's the _days_ that he's not taking well."

"What do you mean, days? It was almost morning when we got out of there, it was just overnight."

"Jack…," the Doctor said carefully, "it's been almost four days here."

Jack's eyes slowly widened. "Don't tell me that, Doc."

"Time, Jack," he said apologetically.

In a split second, Jack was running down the corridor on the cruiser toward his cabin.

* * *

Ianto had decided that what he needed more than anything was a distraction. If he sat about thinking of all the things that could have happened to Jack, he'd go mad. He got out of bed and showered and dressed, thinking maybe he could be of help to Martha in the lab.

Buttoning his shirt, Ianto could hear someone running full-pelt down the hallway outside. That seemed a bit unusual and Ianto had to laugh at himself that he almost thought he recognized Jack's footfalls. It was a bit too much when he _knew_ he heard Jack shout for him, though.

Ianto ran to the door and stabbed frantically at the button to open it. Ianto burst through the doors almost before they could retract open and all but launched himself into Jack's arms.

"Oh god, Jack," Ianto gasped out between desperate, passionate kisses.

"I'm so sorry, Yan," Jack breathed.

"You're safe, you're here. I don't care. Don't ever, ever, ever leave me again!"

"Never," Jack swore.

For a long while they stood holding one another like anchors in a tempest.

"I didn't know it had been days," Jack said quietly. "It was hours for me. I'm so sorry, Yan."

"What happened to you? I was terrified. I thought maybe you'd died or something and it took longer than usual to revive, but the Doctor said he couldn't track you… and all I could think of was that you'd never make it back and I'd have to live with telling you I couldn't forgive you that."

"Everything was fine at first," Jack said, "until I got knocked out of the ship and ended up falling through a parallel incursion. I was still in '41 London, but it was…." Jack smiled fondly. "Tosh and Owen were there – and married to one another, if you can believe that. Rhys was in the navy, apparently. You were there." Jack's smile faded. "But you were so sad. Remember I told you about the soldier whose name I 'borrowed?' He was your Jack back there."

"The one who died?"

Jack nodded.

"Good job _my_ Jack can't. How did you get back?"

"Tosh. She figured out we could get back through the incursion. Though the barrage balloon was my idea."

"Who's _we_?" Ianto asked, wondering who else had come through with Jack. He wouldn't bring a Ianto from another universe, would he? And would that be kinky, or creepy?

"Oh," Jack said. "I probably didn't mention running into an old thorn in my side along the way…."

"Please don't tell me he's on-board?" Ianto begged.

"No. I left him to make his own way. There's nothing I can do for him."

"Yeah. He doesn't take hints very well, though, does he?"

"Never did. But I don't want to talk about him."

"Fine with me."

Jack reached into his pocket for the bottle. "I got the nanogenes. Do you want to do this now?"

Ianto wondered silently if the little glowing things would help. He knew for sure that even if they didn't, he would learn to adapt to a new life as long as Jack was with him. Ianto nodded. "No sense putting it off."

Together they headed to the ship's lab.

"Martha! Can we get a patient in?" Jack called out.

"Jack?! You made it!"

"Yeah, with an unscheduled detour and a lot of that wibbly-wobbly stuff going on."

Jack was expecting a hug from Martha, as usual. So when she ran up and gave him a shove, Jack was a bit stunned. "That's for worrying Ianto. I'm warning you, Jack, if you thought you were on holiday…."

"I swear, Martha, it wasn't my fault!"

Martha gave him a glare then turned to Ianto. "You already look better, though. So, I guess I'll let him live."

"Not much choice there," Jack said. "Anyway, unless anyone else wants to have a go at me, I got the nanogenes."

"Explain these to me again, Jack," Martha said. "I was kind of hoping you might have consulted me before you ran off to get them. I know he's used them," she said, referring to the Doctor.

"They're fine, Martha. I used some on Rose when we first met. Perfectly safe for Earth humans of any age and era." Jack decided to leave out the whole 'gas-masks-fused-to-faces' thing, since there was no chance of that happening… he hoped. "They're subatomic, so they can sort of go around you in a cloud and… soak in, sort of, then they just tidy things up and leave."

"This isn't going to be like that whole 'reset' thing, is it?" Martha asked.

"No mayflies. They're safe, I promise. The only thing is… I probably shouldn't be too close, because they could potentially pick up the whole 'no dying' thing and replicate it, though that's a longshot anyway."

For the briefest moment Ianto looked at Jack and wondered at the possibility of living forever, like Jack. The idea that they could really be together 'forever' – that Jack would never see him age and die, that he would never have to leave Jack like he'd done a few months ago….

Jack caught the thoughtful look in Ianto's eyes and frowned deeply. "No," he said firmly, grasping Ianto's shoulder. "I know it sounds great at first, but you have no idea what this is like, Ianto, and I don't ever want you to know what it's like. There is no worse condemnation, and I haven't even scratched the surface."

"But we could be together, Jack…."

Jack slowly shook his head. "It would come between us, Yan. In a billion years' time, we wouldn't even want to be in the same galaxy as one another. Ianto… I'd rather have one good lifetime with you than a million years of bitterness and animosity. I couldn't bear that. Believe me when I say you don't want to live forever."

Jack saw the moment the realization fell into place and Ianto nodded.

"I love you, Jack," Ianto whispered, pulling him into an embrace with a kiss that was much less feral and needy than the last one.

"I'll always love you, Yan," Jack said softly.

Ianto knew exactly what Jack meant when he said 'always' and held onto him a little longer and a little tighter. Finally, Ianto nodded and stepped back.

Jack handed the bottle of nanogenes to Martha and went to the far side of the room where he leaned against the wall. "Stay as still as possible," Jack called over to them. "They'll tickle just a bit."

Ianto nodded to Martha and she uncapped the bottle, letting the little glowing particles fly out and envelop Ianto in a cloud. They swirled and shimmered around him for a minute before going back over one more time and then making a bee-line back into the bottle. Martha capped it again and set it aside, planning to take a closer look at them later.

"Did it work?" Ianto asked. "I don't 'feel' different."

Jack hurried back over. "I could scan, but I don't think this will give me that information," he said, jiggling his wrist.

"No, I think we'll need the Doctor's -"

"Someone in need of a sonic screwdriver?" asked the Doctor at the door.

"A fez?" Ianto asked out loud.

"Fezzes are cool," the Doctor said informatively. "Does a bit more than put up cabinets, eh, Jack?" he said as he scanned Ianto head to toe. "Congratulations, Mr. Jones. Clean bill of health."

Jack whooped aloud and had Ianto wrapped up in a tight hug before he could roll his eyes at Jack's reaction. Ianto didn't mind the happy kiss as much, though.

"I'm taking you home, buying us a house and the fastest car on the market," Jack said excitedly.

"We'll discuss the car later," Ianto said, then turned to the Doctor. "Thank you, Doctor," Ianto said, offering his hand.

"You're welcome, Mr. Jones," the Doctor said with a smile. "I only wish I could have worked it out sooner and spared you the worry."

"I think I needed to be over there when I was, Doc," Jack said, thinking of Ianto in 1941. "I hope I helped, anyway. At least, I can't go back to apologize if I didn't."

"Keep it that way, Jack," the Doctor said. "Why don't you two get some rest?" he suggested.

Martha gave them look that doubted 'rest' was in their agenda. Jack and Ianto both gave her a look back that agreed.


	19. Chapter 19

"I missed you so much," Ianto said, resting his head on Jack's shoulder as they snuggled after a particularly spirited round of lovemaking.

"I know, I'm sorry, Yan."

"For the first time I actually wondered what I'd do without you in my life. Was never really a question before."

"I hope it never will be."

"What was it like, seeing them again?"

"They're happy," Jack said, stroking Ianto's hair. "Well, Owen pretended he wasn't, of course. And Tosh is leading the team."

"And Gwen?"

"Was spending her anniversary alone," Jack said sadly.

"Almost like all our lives were reversed, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, a bit," Jack said.

"Do you think he'll be alright?"

Jack nodded. "It might take time, but yes, I think he will be."

After a while, Ianto said, "Let's leave after breakfast."

"You bet," Jack said.

"Will you miss this? Flying up here, everything that you used to know?"

"Not as much as I'd miss you," Jack said quietly.

* * *

The next day after eating and dressing, Jack and Ianto went to find the Doctor to send them back to Earth. Martha was there as well to dispense hugs and 'bon voyages.'

"You know, Jack, it's funny… I couldn't find that bottle of nanogenes after you two left the lab last night," Martha said.

"Nanogenes are like that," Jack shrugged.

"Hmm. So that _is_ a banana in your pocket?" she asked, amused.

"A person should always have a banana around," the Doctor said.

"Those are cool as well, are they?" Ianto asked.

"Well… not sure that I'd say _cool_…."

"Good source of potassium," Jack explained. "Some weird Time Lord thing, apparently," he whispered. "Well, Martha. Look us up when you get back, we'll be around. It might even be nice to see you when the fate of the universe isn't in the balance. Just for something different. Oh, and bring the husband!"

"Right, Jack. He'll be just thrilled that you're End-of-the-World Survivor's Club as well."

"Hey, I'm happily paired up, I'll have him know. Doctor… I'm sure we wouldn't mind a visit whenever she brings you our way," Jack said, nodding at the TARDIS controls that he was convinced were just for show. "Don't know about taking any jaunts, though. Think we're going to be Earth-based and quiet from now on. You gotta learn to save the universe without me sometime," Jack winked.

"Right… well. I'll try to do that, Jack. Anyway. I was just sort of thinking. That little puddle-jumper on your hand isn't the most comfortable way to travel."

"He's right about that," Martha grumbled. "That Time Agency must have been a bit… _cheap_."

"I didn't stay around long enough to fix that," Jack said. "What are you suggesting, Doctor?"

"Well… here we are…."

Jack gave the Doctor a warning look. "One trip, Doctor. Here to Earth. _Our_ Earth, the one we've been on for years. South Wales, the same _week_ I came up here with him. Got that? Just _one_. No detours, no sightseeing. We're not buzzing by the Horseshoe Nebula or Woman Wept or stopping to say hello to baby Blon in the Raxacoricofalapatorious hatchery…. We're going to Wales, then Ianto and I are leaving and settling down. No more Torchwood, no more Time Agency, nothing. Just happily ever after."

"Alright. I promise. He makes me sound like a… scatter-brain. I was thinking I could stop and pick up some Rift energy in Cardiff and figured you were going the same way, that's all."

"Ok, then. Martha? You too?"

"Yeah. I'm ready to get home. And I agree with Jack, it had better be timely."

"Excellent!" the Doctor shouted, jumping to the controls. "Geronimo!"

"Hold on to something!" Jack advised. "And don't you mean 'Allons-y?'"

"Allons-y?" the Doctor asked, pulling a face. "Why would I ever say that?"

Jack just shook his head as the TARDIS rumbled and whirred and eventually shot out across space. He was so glad he didn't regenerate every time he died. In minutes the TARDIS was still again and re-materializing. The quartet stepped out to a sunny Roald Dahl Plass.

Ianto looked around. "It looks like nothing ever happened." The last time he'd seen it, it was a gaping, smouldering hole in the ground.

"They make quick work of anything that puts off tourists. You know that," Jack said. "Is the Bistro still around? I think we should all go for lunch to celebrate a successful mission."

"Good idea, I'm starved," Martha agreed.

Two hours later, all four space-travelers were full and relaxed.

"Is my apartment still there?" Ianto asked.

"Not exactly. I cleaned it out, though," Jack said, "per protocols. Be glad you didn't see it. The government goons really turned it over."

Ianto shook his head. "Figures. Where are we staying, then?"

"Thought we could stop by the tourist office and see what they recommend," Jack grinned.

"They're _really_ unhelpful there," Ianto teased. "A bit rude, and lazy as fuck. Bloody mess that office."

"Well, gentlemen, I've got a husband waiting for me," Martha said, standing up and reaching for hugs from Jack and Ianto. The Doctor offered her a handshake and she gave him a 'yeah, right' look, squashing him with a hug. "Right, you lot. I will accept dinner invitations, but if it's the end of the world, call someone else, yeah? Bye!" Martha waved, hurrying off toward the city centre.

"I imagine we'd better find accommodations as well," Ianto said.

"Yeah… we'll need a good night's sleep if we're going house-hunting tomorrow," Jack said, shrugging into his greatcoat as they headed back out along the Plass to where the TARDIS was parked.

"Good luck, you two," the Doctor said as they reached the blue box.

"And you, Doc. Though I'm not sure if it's luck you need. Traveling alone these days?"

"Oh, not always. I have a lovely friend called Amelia. Well… Amy, isn't that silly?"

"Is it _always_ women?" Ianto asked Jack. "I thought _you_ were bad."

"Friends," Jack said. "Mostly."

Ianto shook his head. "Incidentally, Doctor…," Ianto said. "TARDISes… those _are_ cool."

"Ah ha!" cried the Doctor. "Now he's getting it!" He offered a handshake to Ianto who accepted it and then reached for Jack's left hand to shake, producing the screwdriver from his pocket and aiming it at Jack's wrist strap.

"Wow, you _really_ don't trust me. How many times can a vortex manipulator be disabled?"

"I didn't _dis_able it, Jack," the Doctor said with a wink. "I don't think you'll be using it much, but just in case."

"Thanks, Doc. Feel like a grown-up again."

"You'll really feel like one later," Ianto snickered.

"So long, gentlemen," the Doctor said, opening the TARDIS door. "Don't forget to keep fish fingers and custard in… never know when I'll pop 'round."

"We'll do that. Oh, by the way, Doc. When I was over in the parallel '41, John Hart said something a bit cryptic. He said whenever I see the Doctor next I should tell him River says 'hello, sweetie.'" Jack shrugged. "Mean anything?"

The Doctor looked curious but shook his head. "Not particularly. Probably a timeline thing. I'll found out eventually. Until then… Geronimo!" he called, closing the door with a wave. The TARDIS whirred and faded and was gone again to parts unknown.

"Bit weird, this. Standing here with no Hub under us," Ianto said after a long moment.

"Yeah," Jack agreed, putting his arm around Ianto. "Just part of our new lives, I guess. We should go shopping before we find a room for the night. If we start at a hotel we'll never make it back out before midnight."

"Correct," Ianto said, slipping his arm around Jack's waist as they headed off to start a new, normal, quiet life together.

And they lived happily ever after.

* * *

_Who wants an epilogue? :)_


	20. Epilogue

Jack had been standing there for several minutes, enjoying the view of Ianto bending and stretching as he trimmed the roses under the living room window. Their home was big and secluded enough that Ianto could have done the gardening naked and not be seen… but then Jack would never let him along long enough to do any work. Finally, Jack decided to interrupt and cleared this throat loudly so as not to startle his partner.

Ianto made one final cut and stood, checking his watch. "Only three and a quarter minutes? You must be getting bored of me."

"Not a chance," Jack grinned, walking over to wrap his arms around Ianto's waist. "Just wanted to let you know dinner will be in about half an hour, so you have time to get cleaned up," he said, kissing Ianto's neck.

Ianto let his head drop back, letting Jack tease all he wanted for a minute. When Jack's tongue traced his pulse point, Ianto pulled back for a proper kiss before putting his arm around Jack's waist and leading him back inside. "I'll clean up, you mind dinner."

"Alright," Jack sighed. "Beautiful evening. Dinner on the terrace?"

"Sounds nice."

Twenty minutes later, Ianto came back through the kitchen in jeans and a fresh shirt. Jack opened the back door to the terrace and stepped aside.

"Intimate table for two, sir?" Jack said, putting on that awful faux-posh accent.

"Actually, I'd rather prefer a group table by the window," Ianto teased.

"Quite sorry, sir, it's reserved for a party of 8 visiting from Shallacatop."

Ianto sighed. "Service really has gone downhill here."

"Confidentially, sir, it all started going when they let the 51st centurions in."

"They certainly do cheapen the place," Ianto smirked, pulling Jack in for a kiss. "Will I ever get tired of looking at you?" he asked, running a hand down Jack's side.

"Maybe. The look doesn't change much."

"Glad it's a good look. What's the chef's special tonight?"

"Frisee with pear and Crottin du Chavignol to start. Salmon, basil orzo, roasted asparagus, and an accompanying chardonnay. Crème brulee with fresh berries for dessert, and, of course, your sparkling dinner company."

"Well, that sounds… incredible. What's the occasion?"

Jack smiled. "Do I need a reason? Martinis to start?"

"Alright," Ianto said. No, Jack didn't need a reason and he often surprised Ianto with special little dinners, but there was definitely something a bit different tonight.

Jack was back in a moment with two martinis. "Drier than your wit, my dear," he grinned.

After dinner, Ianto got a little suspicious again when Jack took his time before coming back with two dishes of crème brulee and the kitchen torch to caramelize them. It had such a counterpoint of perfect crispness and creaminess that Ianto found himself sighing more than once through dessert.

"Bristol cream to finish?" Jack offered.

"Love to," Ianto said. He was still sure he was picking up something different, almost a nervous vibration from Jack. It reminded him of their first real date and Ianto wondered if he was forgetting some little anniversary of theirs.

Jack came back over to the table with two tiny, delicate sherry glasses. He set them down but stayed standing for a moment. "There's something else I was wondering about…."

'Ah-ha, at long last,' Ianto thought, wondering what it could be that Jack had in mind after such a build-up. Another trip to the stars, perhaps? Something 'innovative' in the bedroom (or out of it)?

Jack held something in his pocket for a moment before taking it out and kneeling down. "Will you marry me?" he asked, his voice shaking like a leaf, as he opened the box with a simple rose-gold band inside.

Ianto felt dizzy and electric all over as he started to shake too. "Yeah," he breathed, nodding frantically. "Yeah, I will. Come here!" he said, fighting off a sob as he pulled Jack into a long kiss.

* * *

"Looks like rain," Jack said, looking at the lilacs from the kitchen window and debating whether to pour himself another coffee.

"Likely steady showers throughout the day," Ianto said, joining him and stealing a kiss.

"Let's stay in today," Jack suggested. "We haven't had an excuse to spend a day cuddled up in a while."

"Well… since you've twisted my arm," Ianto winked, then headed into the living room.

About an hour after lunch Ianto suggested an afternoon nap. He and Jack curled up together on the sofa, just listening to the sound of slow rain that wasn't from Jack's wrist strap. Jack held Ianto, thinking of that dream he used to have so long ago of a rainy spring afternoon spent with someone he loved.

As he absently carded Ianto's hair, Jack's eyes fell on the photo on the mantle – the one with him in RAF dress uniform and Ianto in a black dinner suit and blazing red tie, and the most beautiful smile Jack could imagine. That was almost three years ago, and Jack had seen more of that smile in those years than he had since they'd met. There wasn't much that could humble Captain Jack Harkness the way putting that smile there could.

Of all the memories, sweet and bitter, that had come and gone in his impossible life – and all that were surely to come eons into the future – this was the one he'd do anything to keep, the memory of a dream come true.


End file.
